Why bother to hold it?If they wait until late October,they may be able to have fans.Even if that's not allowed,the Triple Crown order would still be the same.
OT: Belmont Stakes to be run June 20th with no spectators
- Thread starter RUhasarrived
- Start date
The nature of horses being classified by their ages means they will need to get the Breeders Cup done in November as usual and the Triple Crown races will need to be held out of order.
Have no problem with this. Once they went past the first Saturday in May it was already a different year.
Smart move to shorten it this year too. Will be run at 1 1/8.
The #1 reason for shortening the race is to get horses to run in it. No one is sending their top 3 year old to run in a 1 1/2 mile race this year.
As far as horses running, what makes this year any different? In fact, I’d think they’d be more inclined since they wouldn’t have to go through the rigors of a 3rd triple crown race, especially at 1 1/2 miles, after having run in the previous legs. Most horses training probably hasn’t been impacted by the virus & most of the top 3 year olds have run in the not too distant past.
Money for one thing. It's now back down to a $million dollar race. Winning a 1 1/2 mile race does nothing to improve the breeding value.
Besides in non Triple Crown years they don't get many top 3 year olds to run. Especially outside of NY. And unless it's a Triple Crown nobody remember the winner of the Belmont unless your a big race fan or have connections. Most people can't even remember who won last year. Name and prestige still falls on Derby winner.
If I'm an owner and I have a top 3 year old I'd rather wait for the derby or preakness this year if it was 1.5 miles. Usually the horses running in the belmont are either chasing the triple crown or have one last shot so they try to get the extra distance in their last chance, even if not totally suited for the distance. Since you wont be crushing your horse with the 1.5 mile this year, it will attract more quality horses.
Simply this year the Belmont will be a prep race for the summer 3 year old classics.
No one wants to run a mile and half. Those days are long gone. I don't believe there are any stake races run that far anymore.
The Belmont had to be run in June. The NYRA is smart. The two biggest 3 year-old races in NY are the Belmont and Travers. The Travers, normally run in late August, will be moved up to late July. This gives a 5-6 week period between each race, the Belmont, Travers and Derby.
And shorting it helps it become a prep race for the Travers. If they are smart they take some of the saved purse money and put it into the Jim Dandy and have a NY Triple Crown this year.
Why? The Belmont hasn't always been that long. Took until 1926/7ish to settle into that on a permanent basis. There is no tradition this year. It's just another stakes race for 3 year olds. There is no Triple Crown this year. It is now the first race of the 3 and nobody would send a horse to run in it.
RU kidding. Since The Belmont will be run before the Kentucky Derby, it will have the following Derby qualifying points for the first four finishers (150, 60,30,15). If you have a 3 year-old who still needs points, this is the perfect race to earn the points. The first and second place finishers will have enough qualifying points to get in the Derby field. The third and fourth place points may be enough for some horses, whom already have points, to get in. I think you will see a big, quality field. I predict Baffert will enter either Nadal or Charlatan in the race. Barclay Tagg has Tiz The Law training specifically for this race.
First of all you get the same points REGARDLESS of distance of the race so I have no clue why you bring that up. So stop the RU kidding me crap.
Second of all Tiz the Law is in the Derby, he is 2nd in the points correct? Barclay will run him in either version of the Belmont because he is a NY based trainer that wants to win the Belmont at any distance. Just like my old friend Scotty Schulhofer and before him Woody Stevens.
Why do you think it is so necceary to run a 1 1/2 mile now that the Belmont is before the Derby?? There are plenty of reasons to run it now at a more classic distance and basically none to run it at it normal distance. It is now a prep race not the final of the Triple Crown in normal times.
Forty Niner,a horse who passed on the Belmont in 1988,died this week at age 35.
While winning a 1 1/2 mile race may not do a lot for breeding value, winning any Triple Crown race certainly helps. There is a reason that the race has been run at the distance for so long. Yes, the distance can scare away some trainers & horses, but in a normal year it has always been the ultimate test of endurance, especially for those horses having run in all 3 legs. It’s become part of the race”s allure. That changes now that the 3 race endurance factor has been removed, thus they shortened the race this year.
20 years ago you might have a very valid point. That is no longer the case in the industry.
This year there is no test of endurance. That ended May 4th with no Derby. I don't understand anyone having the desire of 3 year old horse running a mile and a half race this year especially before the Derby.
Don’t need 50k on top of each other at least until a vaccine or meds are found to prevent compromised people from dying . More funny in all of this is the air is 27% cleaner from less carbon emissions but don’t breathe the air. Wear a mask they say , though for years with our compromised air quality , we ran, played sports , interacted , kissed , hugged shook hands , rolled around in dirt and sand weeds etc. ... now we social distance. If we find a vaccine which would be similar to a flu vaccine would you still wear a mask... hug ...kiss.. or would we be made to follow these restrictions by the government? In this world anything is on the table...
Last edited:
Thanks, that’s pretty much what I said. That didn’t change 20 years ago however, it changed this year.
Changing it permanently, you’d have to put an asterisk next to any future Triple Crown winner.
Why future ones? They will be back to normal next year. Belmont next year will run at 11/2 miles.
Endurance was huge many years ago not just for distance but for handicap races where one horse can be carrying 10 more pounds then the rest. That doesn't happen anymore.
The Belmont has the highest point total of any Kentucky Derby qualifying race. It was announced by Churchill Downs if the Preakness and/or Belmont were to run before the Derby it would give a 150-60-30-15 point breakdown. You are wrong on that point. I think it was a wise move to shorten the race to 1-1/8 this year. These are very unusual times and and the NYRA running the Belmont at this distance makes sense with training schedules so up in the air with trainers/owners not knowing what races will fall when. I understand you are a traditionalist with the Triple Crown. I would have loved to have seen the races run in the traditional format and I expect it be so in future years but this is the right move this year. Do you think Baffert will be less happy if Nadal or Charlatan win the Triple Crown with this new format? He'll be crying all the way to the bank. This Belmont will have the best field in recent memory with the dynamics of the race changed. Enjoy the race. As Baffert said :I'm just happy to get to run", and that the 3 races are scheduled to go.
I said that points aren't awarded based on distance.
Agree that the field will be great. The NYRA didn't randomly come up with changing the distance. This was discussed with all the major 3 year old trainers, especially NY summer based. As was the timing of this race. Sets up perfectly for a summer NY Triple Crown. Belmont, Jim Dandy and Travers. We should be hearing more on that soon.
They no longer have a Triple Crown bonus and nobody will recognize anyone that wins all 3 as a Triple Crown winner. Someone could win the Belmont and Derby and skip the Preakness all together and simply aim for the Breeders Cup Classic and that giant purse.
Last edited:
Besides the change in the distance of the Belmont is the fact that the races are spaced out over 4 months instead of 5 weeks. That is the major difference. And makes it much easier. I find it odd that the Thoroughbred Racing Association has made no comment either way if they would award the trophy if someone were to win all three.
It might become like the Tiger Grand Slam.
It might become like the Tiger Grand Slam.
Read today will also be a Derby prep with points awarded. Believe it or not was a Facebook post stating that ticket sales were going to be delayed until Gov. Murphy gave the OK to have fans in attendance. Seems impossible that Monmouth could institute or enforce protocols which would allow for fans just 2 months from now.
People flocking to the beach but not outside at Monmouth Park. Seems illogical but Murphy has proven that simple logic is not his strong suit.
Imagine another 2 months of his daily briefings like he some kind of expert?? Ugh!
People are practically sitting on top of each other in the picnic area on the big racing days at Monmouth and the lines to wager are 20 people deep. No way Monmouth has the personnel or know how to enforce the needed social distancing.
Nor do they at every beach from Sandy Hook to Cape May. What is the difference? We have already seen crowded beaches in NJ and no one cares. Social distancing outdoors is kind of over.
You can stay 6’ or more apart on the beach on a nice day, you cannot at Monmouth on a big race day. If you’ve been to both it’s undeniable.
You obviously either don’t get it or don’t want to get it.
The beach is vast, Monmouth Park’s picnic area is not. You can find space on the beach, you cannot in that picnic area. On the beach it’s possible to social distance, at Monmouth it is not.
Three different ways of saying the same thing.
So you are admitting you didn't see the beaches and Boardwalks of AC, OC, Sea Isle and Wildwood this past weekend. Social distancing was not happening period. And no one was stopping them. Go to the beach. Stay away from Monmouth Park. More room for me.
A
anon_ivydyf0amkzay
Guest
When it comes to social distancing, and here in Texas it has not been remotely as draconian as in your area...it’s funny to see people avoid you like you’re covered in glowing Ebola if you “violate” their sacred space. My approach is, this is a public space...loiter and we'll be close...your choice!
Charlatan was the best of these 3 YO. I’d also give Tiz the Law a slight edge over Nadal. Without Charlatan or Nadal in the Belmont, without either an issue out of the gate or just a bad trip, I can’t see Tiz the Law losing today.
