Over the past year or so, the concept of returning to normal has been frequently mentioned in all stages of life.
As for the New York Racing Association and Belmont Betting presented by NYRA Bets (G1), it happened on June 11 with the 154th edition of the Champion’s Test.
Crowd 46,301 at Belmont Park was the biggest final for the final leg of the Triple Crown since the pre-pandemic days of 2019, when 56,217 people showed up at a time before the attendance limit was set at 50,000 due to the construction of the UBS Arena. in the premises.
Saturday’s attendance was about four times higher than last year’s 11,238 and about 46,000 more than in 2020, when the 1/2-mile Belmont opens its Triple Crown chase and only essential workers are allowed. into the facility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was great to see so many people in the building,” said NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Frank Gabriel.
Looking at the big picture, the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (June 9-11) showcases both New York’s best races featuring the sport’s top stars and industry-wide issue of short pitches for equity races.
While Belmont Stakes Platform Attracts Winners Mo Donegal and the talented 3-year-old boy Nest as well as the Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike The three-day BSRF also has considerable star power in a range of top athletes such as Flight route , Speaker corner , Letruska , Malathaat , Clairiere , Jack Christopher , King of Glory , Matareya , Jackie’s Warrior , Bleecker Street , Bella Sofia , Consumer Spending and an impressive European import called Small flat .
“The quality was there. We were able to get the best out of here. It was a great show and quality for the fans,” Gabriel said. “There was great support from the owners and coaches who came in and got involved, and we thank them for that.”
Fans watch Belmont Stakes day racing at Belmont Park
Although the quality is certainly there, the quantity cannot be said to be the same. Field scale has been a thorn in the side for the NYRA, especially for tier 1 shares.
Of the 17 stakes within three days, seven of them had five or fewer starts and only three had more than eight starts. In nine first grade stakes, four students have five starting students or less.
The 17 stakes have an average field size of 6.82, and those short fields influence staking. Of those bets, 15 of them won the favorite or second pick, with six of them having a $2 win less than $3. Unsurprisingly, small fields and low payouts impacted overall staking on Belmont Bet Day, which had an all-sources handle of $98.766,906, down around 14 million dollars compared to 2021.
“We have some small fields and that’s something we have to look at and deal with because the number of quality graded horses in our area is very short,” said Gabriel. “When you look across the country, , the field size for grade 1 is getting smaller and smaller. Opportunities abound and there may be too many stakes in our regions. Somehow, we had to find a way to reduce some of them. “
Reflecting an increase in black-type events was the June 12 stakes in both Belmont Park and Churchill Downs. In Belmont, 3-year-old sprinters competed in the $150,000 Jersey Girl Stakes across six tracks as the third race of the day. Meanwhile in Kentucky, Churchill Downs’ second race is the $160,000 Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes, a seven-time sprint for 3-year-olds. Each has only five starters.
As for Belmont, it adds even more glitter to New York’s Road to the Triple Crown. By winning the “Test of Champions”, Mo Donegal became the first winner of the Wood Memorial Stock presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) at Aqueduct race track to win the Triple Crown race since Empire Maker in 2003. He is also the first Remsen Stakes (G2) winner to win one of the classics for 3-year-olds since Thunder Gulch in 1995.
Nest, who finished second in Belmont, won Aqueduct’s Demoiselle Stakes (G2) in December of her 2-year-old season, and three weeks ago, Wood’s runner-up. Vote early who spent the winter in New York, took Preakness Stakes (G1).
“It’s a good sign that the Aqueduct track is of high quality,” said Gabriel. “The tracks have been modernized for the winter and you can train a good horse up here.”
Going forward, fans can expect to see most of the stars of the BSRF tag at Racecourse Saratogaadds even more appeal to the Spa’s 40-day meeting that begins July 14. For Gabriel, however, there are some pressing issues until that time of year turns around.
“You hope everything goes well and the connection of the horses we saw this weekend can lay out a plan to get them started once or twice at Saratoga and keep the flow positive. The pole in quality continues,” Gabriel said. “But I don’t want to forget the balance of the Belmont meeting. I think it’s important not only for us but for the riders that we can finish the Belmont meeting strong.”
