NYRA releases stakes schedule for Belmont at A, Aqueduct
The New York Racing Association announced the stakes schedule for the 32-day 2025 Belmont at the Big A fall meet.
Due to the ongoing construction of the new Belmont Park, the fall meet will once again be conducted at Aqueduct. The fall meet will begin on Sept. 11 and run through Nov. 2, including four Grade 1s and five Breeders’ Cup qualifiers. The meet will offer a total of 45 stakes worth $9.45 million in total purses.
The Belmont at the Big A stakes action kicks off on Sept. 13 with the Floral Park, a six-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up and is followed on Sept. 14 with the Athenia at nine furlongs on turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
Sept. 18 features the Grade 1, $150,000 Lonesome Glory, a 2 1/2-mile steeplechase for older horses, ahead of a pair of six-furlong turf sprints worth $150,000 for New York-bred juveniles in the Joseph A. Gimma for fillies on Sept. 19 and the Bertram F. Bongard on Sept. 20. The card also offers the one-mile Winter Memories (G3) for 3-year-old fillies on turf. Both the Gimma and Bongard, previously offered at seven furlongs on dirt, received a purse increase of $25,000.
Sept. 26 offers the Beldame (G2), a nine-furlong route for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up as part of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen Series.
Sept. 27 features a loaded card with five graded events, including the first Grade 1 flat race of the meet in the $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/2 miles on turf. The card is supported by the Woodward (G2) and the Vosburgh (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up that awards a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in Nov. at Del Mar. Also featured are the Gallant Bloom (G2) and the Belmont Turf Sprint (G3).
Oct. 4 will see five stakes, including two more Breeders’ Cup qualifiers for 2-year-olds with the Champagne (G1) and the Miss Grillo (G2). The stacked program is supported by the Frizette (G1) and Jockey Club Derby (G2).
Closing Day Nov. 2 will offer three stakes, including the Forty Niner (G3). The lucrative card also includes the Red Smith (G2) and the Bold Ruler (G3).
Aqueduct fall meet
Following the conclusion of Belmont at Aqueduct fall meet, the 27-day Aqueduct fall meet will run from Nov. 6 through Dec. 31.
The Aqueduct fall meet will be highlighted by the Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile for 3-year-olds and upward on Dec. 6.
The Cigar Mile day program co-features the Remsen (G2) for 2-year-olds going nine furlongs as well as the Demoiselle (G2) for juvenile fillies. Also slated for the card is the Elite Power (G3) at six furlongs for 3-years-old. The stacked program also showcases the New York Stallion Stakes Series with a pair of $500,000 stakes for juveniles that will see eligible New York-sired fillies contest the NYSSS Fifth Avenue at seven furlongs, alongside the NYSSS Great White Way going the same distance.
Cigar Mile Weekend closes out with the Comely (G3) at nine-furlongs for 3-year-old fillies and the six-furlong Garland of Roses for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
Nov. 8 will feature four stakes led by the Mother Goose (G2) for fillies, Long Island (G3) on turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, Hill Prince (G3) on turf for 3-year-olds and the Dwyer, which was previously held during the Belmont at the Big A spring meet.
The Jockey Club Oaks (G3) highlights a Nov. 15 program that includes the Knickerbocker for 3-year-olds and up.
The closing day card on Dec. 28 is headlined by the Bay Ridge, a one-turn mile for state-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
| Date | Race | Purse | Age & sex | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 13 | Floral Park | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 6 f (t) |
| Sept. 14 | Athenia | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 1/8 (t) |
| Sept. 18 | Lonesome Glory (G1) hurd. | $150,000 | 4 & up | 2 1/2 (t) |
| Sept. 19 | Joseph A. Gimma (NYB) | $150,000 | f, 2yo | 6 f (t) |
| Sept. 20 | Bertram F. Bongard (NYB) | $150,000 | 2yo | 6 f (t) |
| Sept. 20 | Winter Memories (G3) | $175,000 | f, 3yo | 1 mile (t) |
| Sept. 26 | Beldame (G2) (BC) | $250,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 1/8 mi |
| Sept. 27 | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) | $500,000 | 3 & up | 1 1/2 (t) |
| Sept. 27 | Woodward (G2) | $300,000 | 3 & up | 1 1/8 mi |
| Sept. 27 | Vosburgh (G3) (BC) | $200,000 | 3 & up | 7 f |
| Sept. 27 | Gallant Bloom (G2) | $250,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 6 1/2 f |
| Sept. 27 | Belmont Turf Sprint (G3) | $200,000 | 3 & up | 6 f (t) |
| Sept. 28 | Gio Ponti | $150,000 | 3yo | 1 mile (t) |
| Oct. 2 | Matron (G3) | $175,000 | f, 2yo | 6 f (t) |
| Oct. 3 | Pilgrim (G2) (BC) | $200,000 | 2yo | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Oct. 3 | Futurity (G3) (BC) | $175,000 | 2yo | 6 f (t) |
| Oct. 4 | Miss Grillo (G2) (BC) | $200,000 | f, 2yo | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Oct. 4 | Champagne (G1) (BC) | $500,000 | 2yo | 1 mile |
| Oct. 4 | Frizette (G1) (BC) | $400,000 | f, 2yo | 1 mile |
| Oct. 4 | Jockey Club Derby (G2) | $500,000 | 3yo | 1 3/8 (t) |
| Oct. 4 | Discovery | $125,000 | 3yo | 1 mile |
| Oct. 5 | Waya (G3) | $175,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 3/8 (t) |
| Oct. 11 | Glen Cove (G3) | $175,000 | f, 3yo | 6 f (t) |
| Oct. 11 | Artie Schiller | $150,000 | 3 & up | 1 mile (t) |
| Oct. 12 | Carle Place | $150,000 | 3yo | 6 f (t) |
| Oct. 18 | Sands Point (G2) | $200,000 | f, 3yo | 1 1/8 (t) |
| Oct. 19 | Autumn Days | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 6 f (t) |
| Oct. 19 | Noble Damsel | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 mile (t) |
| Oct. 25 | Empire Classic (NYB) | $250,000 | 3 & up | 1 1/8 mi |
| Oct. 25 | Empire Distaff (NYB) | $250,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 1/8 mi |
| Oct. 25 | Maid of the Mist (NYB) | $200,000 | f, 2yo | 1 mile |
| Oct. 25 | Sleepy Hollow (NYB) | $200,000 | 2yo | 1 mile |
| Oct. 25 | Ticonderoga (NYB) | $200,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Oct. 25 | Mohawk (NYB) | $200,000 | 3 & up | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Oct. 25 | Iroquois (NYB) | $200,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 6 1/2 f |
| Oct. 25 | Hudson (NYB) | $200,000 | 3 & up | 6 1/2 f |
| Oct. 25 | N.Y. Turf Sprint Ch. (NYB) | $200,000 | 3 & up | 6 f (t) |
| Oct. 31 | Tempted | $150,000 | f, 2yo | 1 mile |
| Oct. 31 | Pumpkin Pie | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 7 f |
| Nov. 1 | Nashua | $150,000 | 2yo | 1 mile |
| Nov. 1 | AQU Turf Sprint Ch. | $150,000 | 3 & up | 6 f (t) |
| Nov. 2 | Turnback the Alarm | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 1/8 mi |
| Nov. 2 | Red Smith (G2) | $250,000 | 3 & up | 1 3/8 (t) |
| Nov. 2 | Forty Niner (G3) | $175,000 | 3 & up | 1 mile |
| Nov. 2 | Bold Ruler (G3) | $175,000 | 3 & up | 6 f |
| Nov. 6 | Chelsey Flower | $150,000 | f, 2yo | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Nov. 7 | Central Park | $150,000 | 2yo | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Nov. 7 | Stewart Manor | $150,000 | f, 2yo | 6 f (t) |
| Nov. 8 | Long Island (G3) | $250,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 3/8 (t) |
| Nov. 8 | Hill Prince (G3) | $200,000 | 3yo | 1 1/8 (t) |
| Nov. 8 | Dwyer | $200,000 | 3yo | 1 mile |
| Nov. 8 | Mother Goose (G2) | $300,000 | f, 3yo | 1 1/8 mi |
| Nov. 9 | Awad | $150,000 | 2yo | 6 f (t) |
| Nov. 13 | Key Cents (NYB) | $125,000 | f, 2yo | 1 mile (t) |
| Nov. 14 | Notebook (NYB) | $125,000 | 2yo | 1 mile (t) |
| Nov. 15 | Jockey Club Oaks (G3) | $350,000 | f, 3yo | 1 3/8 (t) |
| Nov. 15 | Knickerbocker | $150,000 | 3 & up | 1 1/8 (t) |
| Nov. 16 | Pebbles (G3) | $175,000 | f, 3yo | 1 mile (t) |
| Nov. 16 | Forever Together | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 1/16 (t) |
| Nov. 22 | NYSSS Thunder Rumble | $125,000 | 3 & up | 7 f |
| Nov. 22 | NYSSS Staten Island | $125,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 7 f |
| Dec. 6 | Elite Power (G3) | $250,000 | 3 & up | 6 f |
| Dec. 6 | Cigar Mile (G2) | $500,000 | 3 & up | 1 mile |
| Dec. 6 | Remsen (G2) | $250,000 | 2yo | 1 1/8 mi |
| Dec. 6 | Demoiselle (G2) | $250,000 | f, 2yo | 1 1/8 mi |
| Dec. 6 | NYSSS Great White Way | $500,000 | 2yo | 7 f |
| Dec. 6 | NYSSS Fifth Avenue | $500,000 | f, 2yo | 7 f |
| Dec. 7 | Garland of Roses | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 6 f |
| Dec. 7 | Comely (G3) | $200,000 | f, 3yo | 1 1/8 mi |
| Dec. 13 | Go For Wand | $150,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 mile |
| Dec. 26 | Alex M. Robb (NYB) | $125,000 | 3 & up | 1 mile |
| Dec. 27 | Queens County | $150,000 | 3 & up | 1 1/8 mi |
| Dec. 28 | Bay Ridge (NYB) | $125,000 | f&m, 3 & up | 1 mile |