Belmont Stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Belmont Spring/Summer Stakes Schedule Announced

The stakes schedule for the 44-day Belmont Park spring/summer meet, which will feature 59 stakes races worth $16.95 million in total purses, was announced by NYRA Friday. The meet will open on Thursday, April 28 and continue through Sunday, July 10.

It will offer 12 Grade I contests and seven races with purses of $700,000 or higher, with four of those contests coming during the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival from Thursday, June 9 through Saturday, June 11. Tickets for the 2022 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will go on sale Thursday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.

In addition to the GI Belmont S., the June 11 card will include the $1-million GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan Mile, a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile; the $500,000 GI Ogden Phipps S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff; the $400,000 GI Jaipur S., a GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint “Win and You're In”; the $750,000 GI Manhattan S.; $500,000 GI Acorn S.; $500,000 GI Longines Just a Game S.; $400,000 GI Woody Stephens S.; and $400,000 GII Brooklyn S.

Belmont weekend opens with the GII Wonder Again S., Astoria S. and Tremont S. June 9. That will be followed by the newly upgraded GI New York S., GII Belmont Gold Cup S., GII True North S., GIII Bed o'Roses S. and Intercontinental S. June 10.

The Stars and Stripes Racing Festival returns July 9 and features four graded stakes headlined by the opening legs of the Caesars Turf Triple Series, the $1-million GI Caesars Belmont Derby and $700,000 GI Belmont Oaks. Also featuring on the Stars and Stripes card is the $400,000 GII Suburban S. and GIII Victory Ride S.

Man o' War Day on May 14 boasts five graded stakes led by the $700,000 GI Man o' War and also includes the GIII Peter Pan S., GIII Beaugay S., GIII Vagrancy S. and GIII Runhappy S. Independence Day weekend July 2-4 features the GII John S. Nerud S. and GIII Dwyer S.

New York-breds take center stage May 30 with Big Apple Showcase Day, topped by the Commentator S. and Critical Eye S., both at $200,000.

The meet's graded action kicks off with the GII Sheepshead Bay S., GIII Westchester S. and GII Fort Marcy S. May 7.

The post Belmont Spring/Summer Stakes Schedule Announced appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘Quality’ First Book of Mares

'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit–Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality), a leading Eclipse Award finalist for champion 3-year-old colt, heads to the breeding shed with an impressive line-up of mares for his first season at stud at Darley's Jonabell Farm in Kentucky.

The 2020 champion 2-year-old colt and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner continued to add to his loaded resume at three, capturing the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. He concluded his career with a third-place finish against his elders in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Godolphin homebred stands his first season at stud for $75,000.

“We are delighted with Essential Quality's first book,” said Darren Fox, Sales Manager, Darley Stallions. “He has amassed a very strong group of mares as you might expect from the highest-priced freshman of his year. This positions him extremely well for his second career and we hope he is equally adept as he was at his first career.”

Essential Quality's first book of approximately 160 mares includes standouts such as:

American Story (Ghostzapper), GSP; half-sister to MGISW Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}) and G1SW Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown); $2.2 million FTKNOV purchase in 2017; dam of MGISW American Gal (Concord Point) and SW & GSP Americanize (Concord Point).
Artemis Agrotera (Roman Ruler), MGISW; dam of SW and $2-million OBS March topper Chestertown (Tapit).
Baffled (Distorted Humor), GSP; half-sister to GISW Emcee (Unbridled's Song); $1.8 million FTKNOV purchase in 2019; dam of MGISW Constitution (Tapit), GSW Jacaranda (Congrats) and GSW Boynton (More Than Ready).
Bashful Bertie (Quiet American), full-sister to MGSW & GISP Allamerican Bertie and half-sister to MGSW & GISP Hurricane Bertie (Storm Boot); dam of MGISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid).
Believe You Can (Proud Citizen), winner of the 2012 GI Kentucky Oaks; dam of SW & GSP Believe In Royalty (Tapit).
Candy Fortune (Candy Ride {Arg}), dam of GISW Hog Creek Hustle (Overanalyze) and GSW Majestic Dunhill (Majesticperfection).
Centre Court (Smart Strike), GISW; half-sister to GSW Ravel (Fusaichi Pegasus); dam of GSW Navratilova (Medaglia d'Oro).
Comedy (Theatrical {Ire}), $1.5 million KEENOV purchase in 2015; dam of GISW Taris (Flatter), SW & MGSP Theatre Star (War Front); and SW Stoweshoe (Flatter).
Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy), GISW; $1.95 million KEENOV purchase in 2020.
Crosswinds (Storm Cat), half-sister to GSW & MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast); dam of GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW Current (Curlin).
It Tiz (Tiznow), MSW; dam of GISW It Tiz Well (Arch).
Lady Shipman (Midshipman), GSW & GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner-up; dam of GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner and GII Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo).
No Questions Asked (Awesome Again), $300,000 KEENOV purchase in 2021; full-sister to GISW Paynter and half-sister to GSW Tiz West (Gone West).
Panty Raid (Include), MGISW; $2.5 million FTKNOV purchase in 2008; full-sister to GSW & GISP St. John's River; dam of GSW & GISP Micheline (Bernardini) and MGSP Proxy (Tapit).
Red Lark (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}), GISW; half-sister to GSP All Set To Go (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}).
Romantic Vision (Lemon Drop Kid), GISW; half-sister to SP Hard Attack (Hard Spun).
Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}), MGISW; $1 million Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old purchase in 2007; half-sister to G1SW Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown) and GSP American Story (Ghostzapper); dam of GSW & GISP Lake Avenue (Tapit) and GISP Marking (Bernardini).
Wedding Toast (Street Sense), MGISW; dam of SW Ya Hayati (Dubawi {Ire}).

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FOX Sports and NYRA Reach Exclusive Belmont Stakes Deal

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and FOX Sports have reached an agreement with the latter acquiring exclusive media rights for the GI Belmont Stakes, beginning in 2023. The eight-year agreement runs through 2030 and includes the entire Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which is the multi-day event of top races preceding the Belmont S., as well as a new title sponsorship deal which grants NYRA Bets the title sponsorship to the Belmont S.

“FOX Sports has quickly become the year-round home of the finest Thoroughbred racing in the country,” said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “Their commitment to presenting innovative and informative coverage has had an enormous impact on reaching new fans and enhancing overall interest in the sport. That's why NYRA is so pleased to expand our partnership to now include the Belmont Stakes on FOX for many years to come.”

Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy and Analytics, said that acquiring the media rights to the Belmont was a perfect fit for a network that has embraced horse racing and seeks to expand its presence in the gaming market. Fox has an ownership stake in NYRA Bets.

“There are two primary reasons for this,” he said. “The first and simplest is that we are obviously a premium live sports brand. That's what we build our business on. Any time we have an opportunity to add something that is a championship event that's known to not just horseplayers but to every American sports fan, it just fits in with what we want our identify to be. We want to be a leader in live sports event programming. That's the most basic attraction to us.

“Alongside that, is the fact that we like to believe we are evolving from being purely a media content company into being more of a content and gaming company. Our Fox Bet brand is an important part of that. The relationship we have with NYRA and the partnership we have with NYRA Bets is a very important part of that. To be able to add the Belmont Stakes and see that as an engine to the continued growth of NYRA Bets is part of our continuing evolution into more of a gaming company.”

Mulvihill said that Fox's Belmont coverage will be more geared toward the horseplayer than what has been a typical broadcast of a Triple Crown event.

“We are going to be a little more willing to acknowledge that wagering is the lifeblood of the sport,” he said. “We want to put a product on the air that appeals to the people who are playing the races regularly.”

NYRA and FOX Sports began their collaboration with Saratoga Live in 2016 at Saratoga Race Course with 80 hours of live coverage on FOX Sports 2. That coincided with the national launch of NYRA Bets, NYRA's mobile wagering platform now available in more than 30 states. The total coverage of horse racing on FOX Sports has grown every year since the partnership began, eclipsing 700 hours in 2020. FOX Sports became the national television home for Belmont Park in 2019, began televising the GI Runhappy Travers to a national audience on the FOX broadcast network, also in 2019, and expanded the partnership with NYRA in March 2021 with a landmark media rights agreement. The latter agreement provides a FOX Sports subsidiary with an option to increase its current 25% equity interest in NYRA Bets.

“I don't agree at all that the sport isn't doing well,” Mulvihill said. “If you look at national handle figures for the year that just concluded nationwide betting is at a 12-year high. I don't know how many sports have key business metrics that are hitting 12-year highs right now.”

The Belmont S., the final jewel of the Triple Crown, was previously shown on NBC from 2001-05, ABC/ESPN from 2006-10, and on NBC from 2011, where it will be again shown in 2022 before moving to FOX Sports.

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FOX Sports Acquires Belmont Stakes Media Rights Through 2030

FOX Sports and the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) further cement their relationship today by announcing an historic deal in which FOX Sports acquires the exclusive media rights for the Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of Thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown series.

The eight-year agreement, which starts in 2023, is inclusive of the entire Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the multi-day event preceding the Belmont Stakes comprised of dozens of elite Thoroughbred races.

Additionally, the new deal grants NYRA Bets the title sponsorship to the Belmont Stakes. With this deal, the NYRA Bets Belmont Stakes becomes the most prestigious American sports event to be sponsored by a gaming brand.

NYRA Bets is an advance deposit wagering business currently operating in more than 30 states, and majority-owned by NYRA with FOX Corp. holding a minority interest.

“From Secretariat to American Pharoah, the Belmont Stakes has been racing's greatest test of the champion, and we couldn't be prouder to bring it to FOX Sports,” said Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy and Analytics. “The Belmont enhances FOX's status as the industry leader in live events and is an important step in our evolution as a media and gaming brand.”

“FOX Sports has quickly become the year-round home of the finest thoroughbred racing in the country,” said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “Their commitment to presenting innovative and informative coverage has had an enormous impact on reaching new fans and enhancing overall interest in the sport. That's why NYRA is so pleased to expand our partnership to now include the Belmont Stakes on FOX for many years to come.”

An American tradition inaugurated in 1867 at Jerome Park Racetrack and moved in 1905 to its now familiar home at Belmont Park, the Belmont Stakes has provided fans with some of the most exciting moments in sports history. From Secretariat's spellbinding 31-length victory in 1973 to American Pharoah successfully ending a 37-year Triple Crown drought in 2015, the Belmont Stakes is engrained in the consciousness of sports fans around the world.

NYRA and FOX Sports began their collaboration with Saratoga Live in 2016 at historic Saratoga Race Course. The critically acclaimed show, broadcast daily from the grounds of Saratoga, aired 80 hours of live coverage on FS2 and coincided with the national launch of NYRA Bets, NYRA's mobile wagering platform now available in more than 30 states. FOX Sports' total coverage of horse racing has grown every year since the partnership began, eclipsing 700 hours in 2020.

In 2019, FOX Sports became the national television home for Belmont Park, airing live coverage of nearly every race day throughout the fall and spring/summer racing seasons. That same year, the brand furthered its commitment to the sport by televising the Runhappy Travers to a national audience on the FOX broadcast network (FOX) for the first time in network history. Following its successful presentation, the Travers returned to FOX in 2020 and 2021.

In March of 2021, NYRA and FOX Sports expanded their partnership through a landmark media rights agreement. That agreement extended FOX Sports' television rights with NYRA through 2030 and further expanded exclusivity for daily racing at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. It also ensured that the Travers will remain on FOX through 2030.

The agreement announced in March provides a FOX Sports subsidiary with a future opportunity to increase its current 25 percent equity interest in NYRA Bets. Driven by a dramatic expansion in live television coverage on FOX Sports, NYRA Bets generated $250 million in wagering handle in 2021 and $225 million in wagering handle in 2020, a more than 100 percent increase compared to 2019.

The post FOX Sports Acquires Belmont Stakes Media Rights Through 2030 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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