Belmont Park Reopens With New Look and International Flair

Belmont Park has reopened its gates to horse racing fans, marking the end of a three-year hiatus for extensive renovations. The reimagined facility now features a more intimate setting with 6,000 seats, a Tapeta synthetic main track designed for year-round racing, and two new turf courses intended for quicker drainage than their predecessors.

Opening day on Friday, July 19, 2024, will feature the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. The race includes the international contender Forever Young, a Japanese-bred horse with an impressive record. This will be Forever Young's 16th start at his 10th racetrack, having won 11 of his previous 15 races without ever finishing out of the money. The horse's jockey, Junior Alvarado, noted that while the horse is capable, he occasionally struggles at the start.

The track's main track will host its first Grade 1 race on opening day. The Jockey Club Gold Cup, first run in 1919, has a storied history, with past winners including Man O’ War, John Henry, and Cigar. Fox Sports will provide coverage of the event.

The fall meet, concluding on December 6, will showcase 32 graded stakes races, including the Cigar Mile. The prestigious Belmont Stakes is slated to return to Belmont Park in 2027, following a three-year stint at Saratoga Race Course. The Breeders' Cup Championships will also return to New York next year, the first time since 2005.

Jockey Junior Alvarado expressed enthusiasm for the reopening, calling it an "exciting time" and praising the "beautiful facility." He anticipates that riders will need to adjust to the new surfaces and the longer stretch run of the main track. Alvarado also voiced his approval of the Tapeta surface, calling it a "plus for the winter weather in New York."

Tina Marie Bond, president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, described the reopening as a "historic moment in New York," highlighting the state-of-the-art building and the potential for record purses for New York-bred horses. She anticipates year-round racing, enhanced programs for backstretch workers, and a boost in participation and overall growth for the sport.

The jockey colony at Belmont Park includes prominent riders such as Manny Franco, who led the Saratoga Summer Meet with 73 wins, Flavien Prat, Jose and Irad Ortiz, John Velazquez, Kendrick Carmouche, and Junior Alvarado.

Among the top trainers expected to compete are Chad Brown, who recently edged Linda Rice for the Saratoga training title, as well as Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox, Miguel Clement, and Bill Mott.