Numerous Belmont at the Big A stakes offer Breeders' Cup berths

The New York Racing Association will offer 50 stakes worth $10.35 million in purses at the 31-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet which runs Sept. 13 through Nov. 3.

With the ongoing construction at Belmont Park, this will be the third year that the Belmont Park fall meet is being conducted at Aqueduct.

The Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic tops a Sept. 28 card that includes the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward, the Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh, and the Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim Stakes. The Vosburgh, which has been downgraded from a Grade 2, and the Pilgrim, are two of six Breeders’ Cup qualifying races offered at the meet. The Vosburgh offers a fees-paid berth into the BC Sprint, while the Pilgrim offers a free berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

The Grade 2, $250,000 Miss Grillo for 2-year-old fillies on Sept. 29 offers a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and shares billing with the Grade 2, $250,000 Gallant Bloom.

There will be eight graded stakes offered from Oct. 4-6 topped by the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne for 2-year-olds on Oct. 5, a card that includes the Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies, the Grade 3, $175,000 Futurity for 2-year-old sprinters, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Waya Stakes for older fillies and mares on turf. The Champagne, Frizette, and Futurity offer fees-paid berths into their respective Breeders’ Cup divisions.

The Grade 3, $250,000 Forty Niner Stakes at one mile on Oct. 26 took a $50,000 purse decrease. The first three finishers from that race earn a fees-paid berth into the Grade 2 Cigar Mile, which will be run during the Aqueduct fall meet which runs from Nov. 7 through Dec. 31.

The Grade 3, $175,000 Bold Ruler, a six-furlong race also on the Oct. 26, card, incurred a $25,000 purse cut. The Grade 2, $250,000 Mother Goose will also be run Oct. 26.

The third and final New York Showcase Day program of the year will be offered on Oct. 27, with eight stakes restricted to New York-breds worth a total of $1.6 million

Five stakes at the meet had their purses increased by $25,000 to $175,000 -- the Grade 3 Noble Damsel, the Grade 3 Futurity, Grade 3 Matron, Grade 3 Knickerbocker, and the listed Matron. Eight additional stakes received increases from between $10,000 and $15,000.

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