Can someone explain why this race is now 1 1/4? And not 1 1/2 miles?
That probably has to do with the temporary change of venue to Saratoga.
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Yes, due to the different size/length/configuration of the track
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I hope like hell they don’t decide to keep it at that distance once it returns to Belmont Park next year.
To my knowledge the shorter distance has been considered a temporary 1-year thing that was almost unavoidable due to the layout of the Saratoga track. But the idea of lopping off a couple of furlongs has been mentioned several times over the past couple of decades, though not pursued by anyone with the clout to make it happen.
No doubt it would draw a bigger field, and it wouldn’t be the first time the Belmont Stakes was shortened. But it seems that everything now is all about Breeders Cup prep.
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It’s been different distances in other years past, due to one reason or another.
It will go back to 1 1/2miles.
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Why Saratoga? Why not Aqueduct, where they ran the race for a few years last time Belmont was being renovated? IIRC it was 1 1/2 miles at Aqueduct.
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I’ve not been to Aqueduct, but I’ve heard from numerous people that it’s quite a dump & not setup to accommodate large crowds.
This article goes over why Saratoga, instead of Aqueduct.
About the middle of the article.
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Thank you.
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there has been whispers that once Belmont renovations are complete, Aqueduct goes under the wrecking ball and disappears.
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Yeah, I thought that possibility was mentioned in the article. Sad. New York has lost so many of its good old racetracks, including Roosevelt Raceway which had harness races. I think Jamaica was before my time but I have read about racing there.
Yeah, That’s the word on the street.
Update on Belmont Park….
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