Belmont's fall meet moved to Aqueduct this year
Horses are silhouetted in the tunnel at Belmont Park in Elmont on June 11, 2016, prior to the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
The horses will be going straight to Aqueduct for the Belmont fall meeting after racing concludes at Saratoga on Labor Day.
The New York Racing Association announced on Thursday its fall meet from Sept. 15-Oct. 30 will be moved from Belmont Park to Aqueduct Racetrack to allow for the construction of vehicular and pedestrian tunnels to the Belmont infield.
“This investment in the future of Belmont Park will transform our racing operations and pave the way for a broader re-imagining of the facility,” NYRA president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said in a statement. “The shift to Aqueduct this fall will minimize the overall impact on the racing schedule, and ensure continuity for the Belmont spring/summer meet and Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. We appreciate the patience of our horsemen and fans as we enter this period of transition at Belmont, and look forward to an exciting fall at the Big A.”
The planned tunnels will provide access to the 45-acre infield at Belmont Park for both fans and commercial vehicles and allow NYRA to reconstruct both Belmont’s main track and its two turf courses. It also opens the possibility of installing a synthetic track in the future.
NYRA hopes to re-open Belmont’s main and turf tracks for training in April 2023. The spring/summer meet will be run at Belmont as usual.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
