Belmont Park Cancels Weekend Racing Due to Nor’easter; Stakes Rescheduled
- Live racing at Belmont Park for Saturday and Sunday was canceled by the New York Racing Association due to a severe nor’easter forecasted to bring heavy rain and...
- All six graded-stakes races originally slated for the weekend have been shifted to Thursday.
- To account for the lost weekend programs, the New York Racing Association added an eight-race card for Wednesday consisting of overnight races originally carded for Saturday and Sunday.
Live racing at Belmont Park for Saturday and Sunday was canceled by the New York Racing Association due to a severe nor’easter forecasted to bring heavy rain and high winds to Long Island. According to the National Weather Service, the region faces a wind advisory and coastal flood warning through Sunday morning, prompting sweeping schedule changes across the racing calendar.
Rescheduled Stakes and Thursday Program Changes
All six graded-stakes races originally slated for the weekend have been shifted to Thursday. The revised Thursday lineup features four marquee events from Saturday’s canceled card: the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, the Grade 2 Flower Bowl, the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, and the Grade 3 Vosburgh. Two of these contests serve as automatic qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup, with the Flower Bowl offering a bid to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the Vosburgh awarding a winner’s spot in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Sunday's card yielded two graded stakes that will now run Thursday, including the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint and the Grade 3 Winter Memories. Daily Racing Form reported that all six stakes races were redrawn Friday. Meanwhile, the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes, originally mapped out for Thursday, shifts to Friday with entries collected Saturday.
Mid-Week Additions and Expanded October Schedule
To account for the lost weekend programs, the New York Racing Association added an eight-race card for Wednesday consisting of overnight races originally carded for Saturday and Sunday. The organization also added a live racing day on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Combined with previously scheduled make-up dates on Oct. 14, Oct. 21, and Oct. 28—meant to offset earlier cancellations at Saratoga and Aqueduct—Belmont Park will run cards from Wednesday through Sunday for the entirety of October. Daily Racing Form noted that trainer Miguel Clement hurried an extra workout for Joe Hirsch Turf Classic contender Far Bridge ahead of the storm. Clement breezed the horse over the turf course Friday morning, clocking a half-mile in 49.96 seconds. Far Bridge returns from a six-month layoff following an injury sustained after winning the Pan American in March.
Weather Forecast and Ticket Refund Policies
The National Weather Service predicts total rainfall between 1 and 3 inches through the weekend in the Elmont, New York area. Sustained winds between 20 and 25 mph with gusts reaching up to 45 or 50 mph are expected to batter the track through Sunday morning. A coastal flood warning remains active in the area through Sunday evening. Fans holding tickets for Saturday and Sunday purchased directly through Ticketmaster, FEVO, or the NYRA Sales Team are eligible for full refunds or ticket credits. Tickets purchased via third-party vendors must be handled directly through the original point of purchase, as NYRA cannot process those refunds.