Hill Prince and Knickerbocker rescheduled

ELMONT, N.Y. – There will be a nine-race card Monday, Columbus Day, at Belmont Park, but the two stakes scheduled for that program have been postponed.

With rain in the forecast, management has decided to run the Grade 2, $150,000 Hill Prince Stakes next Saturday and the Grade 2, $150,000 Knickerbocker Stakes next Sunday. Both races are scheduled for turf.

Belmont will be dark Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

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◗ When John Velazquez guided the first-time starter Malathaat to a 1 1/4-length victory in Friday’s fourth race, it was the Hall of Fame rider’s 2,000th career victory at Belmont Park. It was career win number 6,238 for Velazquez.

It was fitting that victory came for trainer Todd Pletcher. It was the 1,820th victory for the Pletcher-Velazquez team.

For Pletcher, it was his 4,987th career victory.

Malathaat was a $1,050,000 yearling purchase by Shadwell Stable. She is a daughter of Curlin out of the Grade 1-winning mare Dreaming of Julia, on whom Velazquez won four races for Pletcher.