Jockey Club Gold Cup moves week earlier on Belmont fall schedule

The New York Racing Association on Wednesday announced a fall 2018 stakes schedule for Belmont Park encompassing 44 races worth more than $10 million.

Eighteen of the races are graded and seven races are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In program, through which race winners gain a fees-paid entry plus travel expenses to designated Breeders’ Cup races. Churchill Downs hosts the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 2-3, the first time since 2015 the event has been held outside California, and New York races could play a more prominent role this year.

One potentially important BC Challenge race, the Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, has been moved up a week this year to Sept. 29 and now is positioned five weeks from the Breeders’ Cup Classic rather than four.

The Sept. 29 program is one of three important multi-stakes programs early in the meeting and, in addition to the Gold Cup, features the Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic over 1 1/2 miles, the Grade 1, $350,000 Vosburgh over six furlongs on dirt, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Pilgrim for 2-year-olds on turf.

The Oct. 6 program includes the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne, the Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame, and the Grade 2, $500,000 Hill Prince. The Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl and the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette anchor the Oct. 7 card.

The schedule includes three more stakes than were run during fall 2017. Gone from the schedule is the $100,000 Seattle Slew, but new for 2018 are the $100,000 Royal Delta (fillies and mares, 1 1/16 miles, dirt) on Sept. 9, the $100,000 Floral Park (fillies and mares, six furlongs, turf) on Oct. 13, the $100,000 Point of Entry (3-year-olds and up, 1 1/2 miles, turf) on Oct. 14, and the $125,000 Zagora (fillies and mares, 1 1/2 miles, turf) on Oct. 28.

The $100,000 Futurity on Oct. 7 and the Grade 3, $100,000 Matron on Oct. 8, both 2-year-old races, have been changed from six furlongs on dirt to six furlongs on turf and are Breeders’ Cup Challenge races for the new 2-year-old turf-sprint stakes.

The other change from 2017 lengthens the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie for fillies and mares on Oct. 28 from six to seven furlongs.

Eight New York-bred stakes, headlined by the $300,000 Empire Classic, are set for the Oct. 20 card.