The New York Racing Association has not yet determined whether it plans to move the Belmont Stakes to the fall in light of the Kentucky Derby being rescheduled for Sept. 5 and the Preakness likely to be run in September as well. “We’re still just starting the conversation with all the stake holders,” NYRA president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said Tuesday. “They include NBC. There’s continuity, there are other stakes. We’re at the beginning of assessing it and we won’t have a response for the next few days, maybe next week. There are a lot of things to deal with; this is really important but it falls pretty far back when you consider the immediate issues at hand.” On Tuesday, Churchill Downs announced it was moving the Derby from May 2 to Sept. 5 due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced several racetracks - including Keeneland - to close while limiting operations at other facilities throughout the country. Maryland state and track officials said they were in discussions to move the Preakness from May 16 to September, though no specific date was set. The Belmont Stakes is currently scheduled for June 6. In order to keep some sort of continuity with the other two Triple Crown races, it would have to be moved to October. :: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter “The Derby’s now set, now we have to work with everything else and see how the season forms with it,” O’Rourke said. “Where the Preakness lands likely would have some impact as to our decision process, I can’t tell you if it’s going to be a driver or not.” In discussing the Belmont Stakes, run at 1 1/2 miles, O’Rourke said “everything is on the table including the conditions of the race, the distance. We haven’t gotten to those conversations.” The rescheduling of the Kentucky Derby to Sept. 5 will also force NYRA into a decision regarding the Travers Stakes, which is scheduled to be run at Saratoga on Aug. 29. NYRA could potentially move that race to serve as a stepping-stone for the Derby. “There’s several decisions that need to be made on this one,” O’Rourke said. “We honestly haven’t sat down and gone through it.” Both the June 6 card at Belmont and the Aug. 29 card at Saratoga include many other important races. There are seven other Grade 1 stakes scheduled on June 6 and five other Grade 1 stakes offered on Aug. 29. The plethora of races on June 6 become even more important to horsemen in light of the cancellation of Keeneland’s spring meet and the moving of major stakes at Churchill Downs from early May to September. “My hope is the things that are canceled, accept it and make adjustments,” trainer Chad Brown said. “As new dates come up that haven’t been canceled, I’m hoping things are safe to pick up where we left off and keep the schedule as is, particularly Belmont Stakes Day. Hopefully, we can do our best to get the horses to meaningful races. I hope that doesn’t set up a chain reaction of rescheduled events. Of course, we have to do what’s safest.” NYRA is currently racing at Aqueduct. As of Tuesday, it still planned to conduct racing without spectators for the foreseeable future. Racing is scheduled Friday through Sunday for the remainder of March. There are 13 days of racing at Aqueduct in April before racing moves to Belmont Park on April 24.