Belmont Stakes Set for June 20

[Wandering Eyes]

The 152nd renewal of the GI $1-million Belmont S., to be contested at nine furlongs, will take place on Saturday, June 20 at Belmont Park as the opening leg of the Triple Crown for the first time in history, it was announced Tuesday.

To align with required health and safety measures implemented in New York to mitigate risk and combat the spread of COVID-19, the Belmont S. will be held without spectators in attendance.

“The Belmont Stakes is a New York institution that will provide world-class entertainment for sports fans during these challenging times,” said NYRA President & CEO Dave O’Rourke. “While this will certainly be a unique running of this historic race, we are grateful to be able to hold the Belmont S. in 2020. Thanks to our partners at NBC Sports, fans across the country can look forward to a day of exceptional thoroughbred racing at a time when entertainment and sports are so important to providing a sense of normalcy.”

As the exclusive broadcast partner of the Belmont S. and Triple Crown, NBC Sports will present three hours of live coverage from Belmont Park on Saturday, June 20 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Traditionally contested at 1 1/2-miles and held as the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, the 152nd running of the Belmont S. will be run at a distance of 1 1/8-miles to properly account for the schedule adjustments to the Triple Crown series and overall calendar for 3-year-olds in training.

The revised date and distance for the Belmont S. follows the previously announced rescheduling of the GI Kentucky Derby, from Saturday, May 2 to Saturday, Sept. 5 as well as the rescheduling of the GI Preakness S. from May 16 to Oct. 3.

Initially contested at a distance of 1 5/8-miles at Jerome Park, the first Belmont S. was won by Hall of Fame filly Ruthless in 1867. For a two-year period in 1893-94, the Belmont S. was run at nine furlongs at Morris Park Racecourse with Comanche winning in 1893 and Hall of Famer Henry of Navarre victorious a year later. The 1 1/2-miles distance was established in 1926.

The post Belmont Stakes Set for June 20 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article