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Belmont Fall Meet Sees 33.6 Percent Increase In Average Daily Handle

The New York Racing Association Inc., (NYRA) today announced that the Belmont Park fall meet generated $9,923,813 in average daily handle from all sources, a 33.6 percent increase over the 2019 fall meet.

Despite running 10 fewer days than in 2019, all sources handle of $267,942,961 was down just 2.5 percent compared with 2019.

The Belmont Park fall meet has traditionally opened on the Friday following Labor Day. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, NYRA adjusted the fall schedule by adding a one-week break following the conclusion of the summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. As a result, the 2020 fall meet was contested over 27 days compared to 37 days in 2019, a 27 percent decrease in race dates.

A total of 267 races were run during the fall meet with 148 on the main track and 118 over the grass. Average field size over those 267 races was 7.88, an 8.7 percent increase over 2019. 24 races were taken off the turf due to weather.

The Oct. 10 Jockey Club Gold Cup Day card, which featured 5 graded stakes in total, generated all sources handle of $19,534,830, which is the highest single day handle number for a Belmont fall race date since September 2014.

The 2019 fall meet at Belmont Park generated all sources handle of $274,929,718 and average daily handle of $7,430,533. 324 races were run in total with 14 races taken off the turf due to weather. Average field size was 7.25.

Chad Brown posted 22 wins to earn the status as top trainer for the Belmont Park fall meet for the ninth consecutive year, while Jose Ortiz registered 40 victories to lead all riders.

Klaravich Stables campaigned 13 winners, six more than the second-closest competitor in Repole Stables, to pace all owners.

The fall meet was conducted without spectators and with only a limited number of essential personnel, horsemen and owners on-site due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack will begin on Friday, November 6 and continue through Sunday, December 6. Highlighted by the 32nd renewal of the of the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile on Saturday, December 5, the 18-day fall meet at Aqueduct features 29 stakes, including 11 graded events, worth $3.41 in purses.

Opening weekend of the Big A fall meet, which coincides with the Breeders' Cup set for November 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course, begins with the $100,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies and $100,000 Atlantic Beach for juvenile turf sprinters on November 6.

Following opening weekend, live racing will be conducted Thursday through Sunday with the exception of Thanksgiving Week, when live racing will not be offered on Thanksgiving Day, November 26.

New York state currently requires all racetracks to operate without spectators in attendance to combat the spread of COVID-19. As was the case during the Belmont Park fall meet, a limited number of New York State Gaming Commission-licensed owners will be permitted at Aqueduct on the day their horse is entered to race.

America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the Aqueduct fall meet with coverage to air on FOX Sports and MSG Networks.

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Old Friends Celebrates Saturday’s Eighth Running Of Awad Stakes

On Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, Belmont Park will host the eighth running of the $89,000 Awad Stakes, 1-1/16 mile race on the turf for 2-year-olds. It is scheduled as Race 8 on the card with a post time of 4:27 p.m.

Multiple graded stakes winner Awad was a homebred for Ryehill Farm and trained by David Donk. The son of Caveat, out of Dancer's Candy, by Noble Dancer (GB), Awad ran in eight graded-stakes races with his four biggest wins coming in Grade 1 contests on the turf. Those wins were the Secretariat Stakes, a 1-1/4- mile race at Arlington Park on Aug. 29, 1993; the Early Times Manhattan Stakes, a 1-1/4 mile race at Belmont Park on June 10, 1995; the Arlington Million, a 1-1/4 mile race at Arlington Park on Aug. 27, 1995; and the Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap, a 1-1/2 mile race at Saratoga on Aug. 9, 1997.

Awad was known for his incredible speed and set two track records during his career. The first was in the 1995 Arlington Million, where he ran the 1-1/4-mile race in 1:58.69 to become the first to finish in under two minutes. The second came in the 1997 Sword Dancer Invitational, where, at age seven, he ran the 1-1/2-mile in 2:23.20.

After just one race in 1998, he was retired after 70 starts, finishing his career with 14 wins, two seconds, 11 thirds, and $3,270,131 in earnings.

He stood at stud at Northview Stallion Station in Maryland and Castle Rock Farm in Pennsylvania until 2006, when he was pensioned and came to Old Friends in September thanks to his former trainer, David Donk.

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Equibase Analysis: Majestic Dunhill Vs. Phat Man In Bold Ruler

A strong field of six sprinters takes to the track in the Grade 3, $100,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Majestic Dunhill and Phat Man lead the field in terms of top efforts in these types of races. Majestic Dunhill won the City of Laurel Stakes earlier in his career before a runner-up effort in the G3 General George and most recently missed by a head at the distance at Belmont in preparation for this race. Phat Man, who returns from an eight month rest, leads the field in earnings, having banked more than a half-million, and won the G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes in January.

Arch Cat has won 13 career races, the most in the field, and was competitive at the level last fall when second in the Dave's Friend Stakes. Share the Ride won the Mr. Prospector Stakes last month and appears to fit nicely with these. Mihos won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes in January 2019 but his only win since then came in April, and he was beaten nearly two lengths last month when third behind Majestic Dunhill. Wendell Fong won three of his first four races including the Gold Fever Stakes in May, 2019, but is winless in six races since then.

Majestic Dunhill gets preference over Phat Man as the one to beat in this year's Bold Ruler Handicap because he has won once at this seven furlong trip and been in the top three five times while Phat Man is trying the distance for the first time. Majestic Dunhill made his 2020 debut in April and finished third, then was entered in the G1 Carter Handicap in June but was scratched in favor of the First Defence Stakes the following day. Rallying strongly from sixth in a 13 horse field, Majestic Dunhill nearly posted the 11 to 1 upset in that race, earning a career-best 110 Equibase Speed Figure in the process, before two poorer efforts. However, Majestic Dunhill returned to strong competitive form last month when leading late and beaten a neck on the wire in a race at this distance at Belmont which appears to set him up for a top effort in the Bold Ruler.

Phat Man hasn't been seen since February but has run well of layoffs, as when second in December of last year and second last August. Since adding blinkers in the summer of 2019, Phat Man has won or placed in four of five races. The last two before the layoff were the best of his career, first winning the Fred W. Hooper Stakes then when second in the Gulfstream Park Mile. Both efforts earned the same 110 figures Majestic Dunhill earned in his best effort. With a series of strong workouts in the morning for his return to the races, Phat Man could easily pick up where he left off in the winter and be a force to reckon with in this race.

Arch Cat won three of four races this year but was disqualified from one of them. He won six of 15 last year and in seven of his last eight races earned figures from 101 to 108 so it appears he could be competitive with the main contenders here. His win in August was at this seven furlong distance and trainer Velazquez doesn't ship often from his base in Delaware but has won two of three at Belmont this year. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche rode Arch Cat to victory the last three times he was in the saddle and given the right scenario, Arch Cat could be capable of posting the mild upset in the Bold Ruler.

The rest of the field, with their best Equibase Speed Figures, is Mihos (102), Share the Ride (108) and Wendell Fong (108).

Win Contenders:
Majestic Dunhill
Phat Man
Arch Cat

Bold Ruler Handicap – Grade 3
Race 9 at Belmont Park
Saturday, October 31 – Post Time 4:57 PM E.T.
Seven Furlongs
Three Year Olds and Upward
Purse: $100,000

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Arch Cat Steps Up In Saturday’s Bold Ruler

Burns Thoroughbred Racing's Arch Cat will take on graded stakes company for the first time in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Bold Ruler at Belmont Park.

The 45th renewal of the Bold Ruler in Race 9 headlines a loaded 10-race card that also offers the $80,000 Zagora at 12 furlongs on the Widener turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up in Race 6; and the $80,000 Awad at 1 1/16-miles on the inner turf for juveniles in Race 8. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Daniel Velazquez, who notched the first two stakes wins of his career with Laobanonaprayer [Maid of the Mist] and Brooklyn Strong [Sleepy Hollow] on Saturday's Empire Showcase Day card at Belmont, the 6-year-old Arch Cat will be making his 38th career start in the seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up on Big Sandy.

The hard-knocking Arch gelding, who sports a record of 13-3-12 with purse earnings of $363,485, was claimed for $16,000 in June 2019 at Parx and has since won 6-of-14 starts for the new connections.

Velazquez said he has taken a patient approach with Arch Cat's training routine.

“He's a horse that came with some bumps and bruises,” said Velazquez. “It wasn't an equipment change but more of maintenance control with him. A light training program is good for him. He's an older horse.”

Arch Cat enjoyed a three-race win streak that began in February in a Parx allowance sprint and continued through an optional-claiming score at Delaware Park in July into an impressive stalking effort to win a Laurel Park allowance on August 20 that garnered a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. He finished third last out in a seven-furlong allowance on September 23 at Parx that was won by multiple stakes winner My Boy Tate.

“He's as fast as anybody,” said Velazquez. “Tactically, he could be second or third off of any pace. I love the seven-eighths distance for him, I think that's really his cut.”

Kendrick Carmouche, who guided Laobanonaprayer to a patient stalking score in the Maid of the Mist, has guided Arch Cat to three previous victories in four attempts and will be reunited with the bay from post 4.

“Kendrick really clicks with that horse and he was riding him even before I claimed the horse,” said Velazquez.

Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing, and Two Rivers Racing Stable's Phat Man enters with back-to-back triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in one-mile tilts at Gulfstream Park from a rallying score in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper on January 25 that garnered a 101 and a closing second in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile that earned a career-best 102.

Trained by Kent Sweezey, the 6-year-old Munnings gelding sports a ledger of 27-7-8-1 with purse earnings of $518,253. He will contest a distance shorter than one-mile for the first time since his December 2016 debut when fifth sprinting 5 ½-furlongs on the Fair Grounds turf.

Phat Man has posted nine breezes at Monmouth Park dating back to August 19 with four bullet efforts, including a sharp three-eighths in 34 flat on October 25 in preparing for his return from an eight-month layoff.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, aboard for the Gulfstream Park Mile effort, retains the mount from post 6.

Share the Ride, trained by Antonio Arriaga for owner Silvino Ramirez, is another former claimer looking to make the grade. The 5-year-old Candy Ride gelding was haltered for $16,000 out of a winning effort in an optional-claiming tilt on July 5 at Monmouth.

Two starts back, Share the Ride went gate-to-wire to win the six-furlong Mr. Prospector by 3 3/4-lengths on September 12 at Monmouth. He followed last out with a pacesetting third in the six-furlong Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational.

Manny Franco retains the mount from post 2.

R. A. Hill Stable's graded-stakes placed Majestic Dunhill enters in search of his first win in 10 starts since capturing the seven-furlong City of Laurel in November 2018.The 5-year-old Majesticperfection gelding has two seconds and one third from five starts this campaign, including a last-out second in a seven-furlong optional-claiming sprint on September 25 at Belmont that earned a 97 Beyer.

Joel Rosario has the return engagement from post 5.

Rounding out the field are Mihos [post 1, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Wendell Fong [post 3, Luis Saez].

America's Day at the Races will present daily television coverage of the 27-day fall meet on FOX Sports and MSG Networks. For the complete America's Day at the Races broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

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