Stakes purses, race days take hit for Aqueduct fall meet

Aqueduct will race 18 days this fall, but Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26) will not be one of them, according to a schedule released Thursday by the New York Racing Association.

The NYRA has traditionally held a stakes-laden card on Thanksgiving, but this year the track will be dark that day. The Fall Highweight Handicap, the traditional Thanksgiving Day feature, has been moved to the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29.

Due mostly to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced NYRA to adjust purse levels and race dates, Aqueduct’s fall schedule was reduced from an intended 21 days to 18.

“As we were going through the fall schedule, we wanted to pick the highest performing days,” NYRA president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said. “Thanksgiving is not a particularly high-performing day. As we were balancing everything off, if we’re going to reduce a few days why not Thanksgiving? Let’s give everyone the day off and let them see their family.”

Last year’s Thanksgiving Day card was canceled due to high winds.

The 2020 Aqueduct fall meet will run from Nov. 6 through Dec. 6 with two three-day weeks and three four-day weeks.

The same 29 stakes offered last fall have been scheduled this year, albeit at reduced purse levels. Last year, those stakes totaled $6 million in purse money. This year, the total is $3.41 million.

Opening weekend coincides with the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on Nov. 6-7. Aqueduct will host the Tempted for 2-year-old fillies on Nov. 6 and the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm on Nov. 7. The Grade 3 Nashua will be run Nov. 8.

The Grade 1 Cigar Mile, scheduled for Dec. 5, will be worth $250,000 as opposed to $750,000 in 2019. That day’s card also will include the Remsen for 2-year-olds and Demoiselle for 2-year-old fillies, both Grade 2 stakes. Those purses have been cut from $250,000 to $150,000. The Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares at mile also is scheduled for that day.

The three-day Thanksgiving week will include 10 stakes, each worth $100,000. The Friday, Nov. 27, card will include the Grade 3 Comely, the Forever Together, and the Gio Ponti. The Saturday, Nov. 28, card will be led by the Grade 3 Long Island (down from $400,000 in 2019) for female turf horses and the Grade 3 Discovery for 3-year-olds as well as the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship and Central Park.

The Sunday, Nov. 29, card will include the Fall Highweight, Tepin, and Autumn Days.

Last year, two New York Stallion Stakes for 2-year-olds each had a purse of $500,000. This year, those races, run at seven furlongs on Dec. 6, will each be worth $250,000.