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America’s Day At The Races Plans Weeklong Coverage Of Belmont Park, Churchill Downs

America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air 25 hours of coverage Thursday through Tuesday, with stakes action from Belmont Park, Churchill Downs and Santa Anita Park.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast live racing action this week, including a special half-hour show on Tuesday, June 1 from 11-11:30 a.m. that will air the draw for the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 5.

Broadcast schedule for America's Day at the Races (all times Eastern):

Thursday, May 27
FS2: 5 – 8:30 p.m.

Friday, May 28
FS2: 12:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 29
FS2: 12:30 – 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 30
Bally Sports SoCal: 3 – 5:30 p.m.
FS2: 4 – 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 31
FS2: 12:30- 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 1
FS2: 11-11:30 a.m. [Draw for the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets]

Thursday will feature Churchill's eight-race evening card from the Louisville, Kentucky track, offering a 5 p.m. first post. Belmont Park will not conduct racing on Thursday.

Friday will see live racing action at both Belmont and Churchill, and the two tracks will also offer compelling Saturday slates, with the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf highlighting the Belmont card. Churchill's packed Saturday card will feature the Grade 3, $125,000 Matt Winn for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles; the Grade 3, $125,000 Regret for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on the turf; the $125,000 Aristides for 4-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs; the $125,000 Blame for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles; the $125,000 Shawnee for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up contested at 1 1/16 miles; the $100,000 Audubon for sophomores going 1 1/8 miles on the turf; and the $100,000 Douglas Park for 4-year-olds and up.

Sunday will see the $100,000 Paradise Creek for sophomores competing at seven furlongs on the Belmont turf.

A special Memorial Day Monday card at Belmont will feature New York Breeders' Showcase Day, offering six stakes races for New York-breds. A pair of $200,000 races – the Commentator for 3-year-olds and up going one mile and the Critical Eye for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going the same distance, highlight the card. Other stakes for state-breds will include the $125,000 Mike Lee for sophomores going seven furlongs; the $125,000 Mount Vernon for older fillies and mares at one mile on the turf; he $125,000 Kingston for 4-year-olds and up on the turf; and the $125,000 Bouwerie for sophomore fillies going seven furlongs.

Monday's telecast will also feature live coverage of a trio of graded stakes from Santa Anita Park, including the Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Mile on the turf for 3-year-olds and up; the Grade 1, $300,000 Gamely at nine furlongs on the turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up; and the Grade 3 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4-miles for 3-year-olds and up.

Tuesday's half-hour show will air the draw for the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, the third leg of the Triple Crown known as the “Test of the Champion” for its famed 1 1/2-mile distance. Among the expected entrants for the American Classic is Grade 1 Preakness-winner Rombauer, Eclipse Award-champion 2-year-old Essential Quality and Grade 2 Louisiana Derby-winner Hot Rod Charlie. The draw will take place from Belmont Park.

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel which boasts more than 70,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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‘Strong Piece Of Work’: Rebel’s Romance Records Third Breeze In Eight Days For Belmont Stakes

Godolphin's Rebel's Romance gave his connections just what they were looking for in his final piece of serious preparation for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, with a sharp six-furlong work in 1:14.29 over the Belmont Park main track on Wednesday morning.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs from June 3 through Saturday, June 5, and is headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets. The festival will encompass 17 total stakes, including eight Grade 1s on Belmont Stakes Day, capped by the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown.

Under partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 70s, Rebel's Romance worked in company with stablemate Desert Peace, who is targeting the Grade 2, $300,000 True North on Friday, June 4.

The Charlie Appleby-trained pair took a walk through the paddock before heading out to the main track at 9:00 a.m. The two horses jogged clockwise in front of the grandstand and around the far turn before beginning their work down the backstretch.

Rebel's Romance, winner of the Group 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse last out, tracked to the outside of Desert Peace as clockers caught the duo through splits of 25.00, 36.80 and 1:00.58. Just past the quarter-pole, Rebel's Romance established a slight advantage over Desert Peace and was coaxed along approaching the wire, completing his move in 1:14.29 while Desert Peace finished up in 1:14.61.

Wednesday morning's workout was a third breeze in eight days for both horses. In their previous two works, Rebel's Romance was strategically placed right off Desert Peace, who would finish off ahead of his stable mate.

Sophie Chretien, travelling assistant for Appleby, said Wednesday morning's tactics were by design.

“The plan was to make him work a little bit harder and push to the line to really get that strong piece of work,” Chretien said. “I'm very happy with the horse. He's progressing very well. It's ten days before the race, so this was the big work for him, and he's going forward. They are moving well on the surface and they've been eating great.”

A son of Dubawi, Rebel's Romance is a four-time winner of five career starts with his lone defeat taking place when fourth in the Saudi Derby on February 29 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The Irish homebred is out of the Street Cry mare Minidress.

Chretien expressed confidence in the horse's distance capabilities given his pedigree and his appearance.

“He's a big-framed horse and a big galloper, so distance will help him,” Chretien said.

Desert Peace, a son of Curlin out of the stakes-winning Flatter mare Stoweshoe – a full sister to Grade 1-winner Taris, will arrive at the True North off a victory at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.

“I was very pleased with him; he's been very consistent. He's very focused,” Chretien said.

Chretien said she is hoping for a fast track next Saturday.

“I'm hoping we don't get too much rain,” Chretien said. “I've been looking at the forecast and we might get some rain through the weekend, but after that it should dry by the time we get to the Belmont. I'm not hoping for a sloppy track or anything like that.”

Appleby has conquered some of the largest races on a global scale owning three Breeders' Cup victories [Outstrip (2013 Juvenile Turf); Wuheida (2017 Filly and Mare Turf) and Line of Duty (2018 Juvenile Turf)], as well as an Epsom Derby with Masar and a Melbourne Cup win with Cross Counter, both in 2018. The British conditioner will be racing against history as he seeks his first American classic victory, as no foreign-based horse has won the Belmont Stakes since Go And Go conquered the 1990 'Test of the Champion' for Dermot Weld.

“It's something that's been in the back of his mind and I think Rebel is the horse that could bring it to us,” Chretien said. “Of course, it's great to have won big races all over the world, like the Melbourne Cup, and having much success in Europe and the Breeders' Cup here in the United States. To win a race like the Belmont would mean a lot.”

In addition to Rebel's Romance and Desert Peace, Appleby will also send out Althiqa and Summer Romance for the Grade 1, $500,000 Longines Just a Game on June 5 going one mile for fillies and mares.

Althiqa, a gray or roan daughter of Dark Angel, has never finished off the board in nine lifetime starts and won the Group 2 Cape Verdi at the Just a Game distance before finishing third in the Group 2 Balanchine, both races were at Meydan Racecourse.

A winner of the Balanchine last out, Summer Romance bested her stable mate in the nine-furlong test, which she won by 2 ¼ lengths. Last July, the daughter of Kingman won the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth at Epsom.

Chretien said that both fillies will have their final work on Saturday morning during the designated time window for turf workers.

“They galloped on the grass the other day,” Chretien said. “They're training well and happy. They'll have another piece of work next Saturday and hopefully everything keeps going that way.”

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Between The Hedges: When it Comes To Racing Festivals, Bigger Is Better

The following is the ninth edition of a bi-weekly series entitled Between The Hedges, discussing the business of betting with a focus on trending wagering topics and statistics. This week's column is penned by Joe Longo, NYRA General Manager of Content Services. Send your questions for Between The Hedges to betweenthehedges@nyrainc.com.

Belmont Stakes Day is the highest handling day on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) racing calendar each season and that success has grown over the last several years.

Headlined by the 153rd running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 5, this year's three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival kicks off on Thursday, June 3 and will include 17 stakes races in total with eight Grade 1 races to be contested on Belmont Stakes Day.

The big-day concept was launched at the 2014 Belmont Stakes, the first under NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Martin Panza, by bundling together major stakes races to showcase the best our sport has to offer at a time when most eyes are watching.

The 2014 Belmont Stakes featured a Triple Crown attempt by California Chrome. Triple Crown attempts have a material impact on the amount wagered and partnered with the newly implemented multi-stakes concept, total commingled handle was $151,109,373 with $90,865,532 bet on the Belmont Stakes itself.

The 2015 Belmont Stakes, which featured American Pharoah's successful Triple Crown run, boasted handle of $135,790,321 with $81,681,147 wagered on the third jewel.

In 2018, when Justify became the 13th Triple Crown winner, handle was $137,954,903 with $79,730,023 wagered on the Belmont Stakes.

Excluding the 2020 Belmont Stakes, which was contested at nine furlongs as the first leg of the Triple Crown, handle averaged $98,416,407 with $50,230,988 bet on the race for non-Triple Crown years under the new race day configuration.

Under the former non big-day concept from 2009 through 2013, average handle on Belmont Stakes Day was $86,438,946 with $49,976,130 wagered on the “Test of the Champion.”

The inaugural Belmont Stakes Racing Festival was created in 2015, tying together three races days beginning on the Thursday of Belmont Stakes week and culminating on Belmont Stakes Day.

From 2015 through 2019, Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Thursday has averaged $9,079,847 with a high-water mark of $10,309,890 in 2017.

Compared to years 2009 through 2014, the same day averaged $6,608,287.

Over this same time frame, Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Friday has averaged $17,918,109 with a high of $20,839,703. From 2009 through 2014, the same day averaged $10,562,201.

So, what about the remainder of the big days on the NYRA racing calendar?

The top-five days by average daily handle over the last five years (2015-2019) are led by the Belmont Stakes Day ($113,798,889) followed by Travers Day ($49,470,410) Whitney Day ($30,340,281), Woodward Day ($28,050,290) and Jim Dandy Day ($27,481,055).

Stars & Stripes Day, another concept that began in 2014, has grown steadily since inception when its handle was $18,829,264. Stars & Stripes Day handle has grown steadily over the years reaching $25,766,176 in 2019. Stars & Stripes Day did not take place in 2020 due to restructuring of the stakes calendar caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Average daily handle (net of partial cancellations) has also increased steadily since the introduction of the big-day concept. In 2014, the average daily handle was $8,760,208. In the years 2015 through 2019, daily handle averaged $9,644,765 and a high of $9,906,155 in 2019. For 2020, average daily handle was $11,553,727 representing an increase of $2,793,519 or 32 percent since 2014.

Supporting these big race days along with daily overnight races are purse offerings that averaged $761,567 daily and $170 million annually over a period of five years predating 2020. The three days of the 2019 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival alone saw almost $11 million in purse money distributed.

The results reinforce the growth of the big-day concept and is further solidified by the increase in daily average handle over this time frame. By coupling marquee days with our broadcast television strategy and robust purse offerings, more eyes are on our content than ever before and horseplayers are supporting it on a daily basis.

For additional information and details on hospitality offerings, ticket packages and pricing, visit BelmontStakes.com. For full terms and conditions, visit https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets.

For additional information on health and safety protocols in effect for the 2021 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, please visit: https://www.belmontstakes.com/tickets/know-before-you-go.

Send your questions for Between The Hedges to betweenthehedges@nyrainc.com.

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Courses Charted For Classic Runners-Up Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon

Neither Mandaloun, second behind Medina Spirit in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, nor G1 Preakness runner-up Midnight Bourbon are bound for Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., on June 5 for the Belmont Stakes or undercard races.

Daily Racing Form reports that Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun will be pointed by trainer Brad Cox toward the June 13 TVG.com Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, a prep for the G1, $1-million Haskell Invitational at the Oceanport, N.J., track on July 17. Winner of the G2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds, the Into Mischief colt could wind up as the official Kentucky Derby winner if a split sample confirms the presence of a corticosteroid and stewards disqualify Medina Spirit from the victory.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, a son of Tiznow, finished sixth after a rough start in the Kentucky Derby and then second in the Preakness. Winchell Thoroughbreds racing and bloodstock advisor David Fiske said Midnight Bourbon could also wind up in the Haskell or in the G2, $600,000 Jim Dandy on July 30 at Saratoga.

Midnight Bourbon defeated Mandaloun winning the G3 Lecomte, then finished third behind that colt in the Risen Star.

“He came out of the Preakness great, but he may have put the groundskeepers out of a job he was eating so much grass,” Fiske told the New York Racing Association media office. “He shipped back to Churchill and has been jogging great. There aren't any big target races after the Belmont prior to the Jim Dandy or Haskell, so we'll focus on those races for now.”

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