Saratoga: Belmont Gold Cup is moved off turf just before Pick 6

The $250,000 Belmont Gold Cup was taken off the yielding turf Friday at Saratoga, dropping it by rule from a Grade 2 to no higher than a Grade 3 race.

The New York Racing Association announced the move just before the preceding race. The Ogden Phipps (G1) was the first leg of the $1 late Pick 6 on Friday’s card.

Click here for Saratoga entries and results.

Moved from the inner turf to the sloppy, sealed main track, the Belmont Gold Cup was reduced from two to 1 3/4 miles.

Morning-line second choice Limited Liability already had been scratched because of the wet course. Anglophile, La Mehana and Lord Flintshire were removed from the field once the race was moved off the turf. The Ginger Wizard already had been listed as a stakes scratch Friday morning.

Yo Daddy, Timeout and Parchment Party, all main-track-only entrants, drew into the race, which will have its final grading confirmed by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

Parchment Party won the race which started at 5:18 p.m. EDT, 10 minutes behind schedule. Afterward, NYRA announced post times would be pushed back 2-5 minutes for the rest of the program.

The New York (G1) and Just a Game (G1), the 12th and 13th races on the card, still were scheduled Friday afternoon to be run on the turf.

The National Weather Service forecast for Saratoga indicated a 70% chance of continuing showers Friday afternoon dropping to 60% on Friday night. There is a 40% chance of precipitation Saturday, when the Belmont Stakes is scheduled to be run.