Finally, New York gets a Breeder's Cup like card back!

It's been over eight years since the last Breeder's Cup World Championship races have been in New York and at Belmont Park. I've been very fortunate to be in attendance at the previous four that were contested there (1990, 1995, 2001 & 2005). With the turmoil that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) has endured during the past decade, it's been abundantly clear that Breeder's Cup Ltd. has chosen not to bring the championship day of racing back to the Big Apple. A matter of fact, it looks like the Breeder's Cup may be staying in Southern California at Santa Anita Park forever and the days of rotating thoroughbred racing's biggest event seem over. So, NYRA has looked to a new way to boost it's stake racing with a super card and not at the end of the racing calendar.

It was announced at the beginning of February that the New York Racing Association has created a super card of racing during it's biggest day of racing at Belmont Park. On Saturday, June 7th which is Belmont Stakes Day, "Big Sandy" will host a 10 race graded stakes card worth eight million dollars that will only rival the Breeder's Cup Championship Day. The 13-race Belmont Stakes Day card serves as the centerpiece of a new three-day "Belmont Stakes Festival" which will bring a "Breeder's Cup flavor" to Belmont Park the first Saturday in June.

The five traditional Belmont Stakes Day contests of recent years; the grade I - $1.5 million Belmont Stakes; the grade I - $1 million Manhattan Stakes on the grass; the grade I - $750,000 Just a Game Stakes for filly and mares on turf; the grade II- $500,000 Woody Stephens Stakes for three year olds sprinting; and the $150,000 Easy Goer Stakes will be part of the event as well as the grade I - $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap. Known as "The Met Mile," it has been contested for years on Memorial Day and is considered one of the most prestigious races run in North America. Plus, the grade I - $1 million Ogden Phipps Handicap; the grade I -$750,000 Acorn Stakes for three year old fillies; the grade II - $500,000 Brooklyn Invitational Handicap; and the grade III - $300,000 Jaipur Invitational sprinting on the weeds. NYRA has created a wonderful day of thoroughbred racing that has never been this big!

This is something that New York Racing has lacked since the Breeder's Cup last appeared. What makes this even more appealing is that the races are being run in the middle of the racing season, before Saratoga and will have horses pointing toward the Spa and getting on the road to the Breeder's Cup early in the season. There will also be two stakes races on the Friday before Belmont Stakes day and one on the day after. Which means that Belmont Park will be open the following day after the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, unlike in recent past years. We'll see races in almost most every Breeder's Cup categories during the weekend and two of the races will be a "Win and your In" races (the Met Mile & Ogden Phipps). As well as the 10 graded races, the other three races on Belmont Stakes day will be overnight allowance events, this means the entire card will be top notch racing with no claiming or cheap races. I've already penciled in the first Saturday in June for a trip to Long Island for this super event!

We have two Kentucky Derby prep races this weekend, both grade III events that may have an impact for starters the first Saturday in May. At Turfway Park, we have the Spiral Stakes on the polytrack at a mile and a eighth. My selections here are; Tamarando #4 - Asserting Bear #2 - Solitary Ranger #8 - Coastline #5. At Sunland Park tomorrow, nine go forward in their Sunland Park Derby at the same mile and a eighth distance. My top two selections are seasoned runners from the Baffert and Pletcher barns respectably; Commissioner #3 - Midnight Hawk #7, I'll use them with Chitu #9 - Global Strike #4 - Rebranded #8.