What a weird Triple Crown this year. Kentucky Derby is September 5th. Preakness a month after that. I don’t know if there is a date for the Belmont. Just yikes 😳
The Maryland Jockey Club has stated that is an unfounded rumor at this point and no date has been set yet.
My bad. I saw it over multiple sites and figured it was true. I’ll be more sure to fact check.
I shared it too as I did have it from three different sources but the only source that matters says not true so here we are. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out to be accurate in the long run though. There usually aren’t that many sources posting the same thing for no reason.
I saw it reported from multiple credible sources too. But now it’s quickly been recanted.
If the Preakness is run on October 3rd, the NYRA will virtually have no choice but to run the Belmont before the Derby. Because after the “proposed” Preakness date, they will run into the Breeders Cup. What a mess.
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Where is the breeders cup being held this year?
Keeneland
BC, first weekend in November.
I agree with LaurieB, what a mess given 2 months between KD and BC… not much time to squeeze in 2 races of the caliber and athletic performance as the Preakness and Belmont.
snaffle1967, a quick Google search would have provided all the information you’d want about Breeders’ Cup 2020.
I didn’t fall for their fake diversion, I knew it would be October 3rd but they did get their 20 seconds of fame. Wonder if Belmont is going to do the same thing for their rescheduled date announcement in 3 weeks? Also wondering if the Belmont runs before the Derby this year? I could see that happening for sure.
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That would really be interesting. You know, I was always under the impression that the mile and a half of the Belmont- after a grueling few weeks of racing with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, was the ultimate test. Having a horse hold on to that Belmont finish line made quite a statement.
So, if the Preakness is last, does that change the dynamics of the Triple Crown?
It was changed the day they decided to give the horses 4 extra months to prepare for the Derby but yes, it definitely changes things. The difference in Belmont stakes attendance when there is a TC on the line versus when there isn’t varies by like 100k people back before they started limiting attendance so the Preakness may be similarly affected but people may go just to say they were there. Who knows? This year is so weird there is no predicting anything.
Wouldn’t it be something if we had a TC winner this year in this mess?
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Belmont… seems like it has to be before the KD or sometime in December after BC which has already said they are not moving their dates (first weekend in November).
If the Belmont is run before the KD, then is the TC really the ‘Triple Crown’? Yes, the 3 races but not in the same order and the time between the races will be different.
Right now, 3 weeks between KD and Preakness, 4 weeks between Preakness and TC.
No place to stuff in a 1 1/2 mile race except before KD or after TC.
What would have more value… a TC winner (no guarantee and maybe of less value than when the races are held on the traditional dates) or a BC Classic winner?
IMO, rough year to have a nice 3YO. Maybe these big races will help the later maturing colts but still a challenge to know the course to take…
There’s been some speculation of running the Belmont late June/early July, at a shorter distance. If that happens and the same horse sweeps all three, it’s an asterisk TC for sure.
Me, I wouldn’t be calling that a TC… but that’s just me…
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I wouldn’t call it a Triple Crown either.
I think when you change the timing, the spacing, the order, and the distance of the races, too many things are different to say it’s a Triple Crown, even with an asterisk. The whole point of the Belmont is that it’s long, and that it comes at the end of a grueling five weeks of top class racing. If you shorten the race and run it at an unrelated time, it doesn’t demand the same quality of performance that it’s supposed to.
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2019 TC season…one of the wonkiest in history…2020 " hold my beer "
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This TC will always have an asterisk by it so I actually hope this year there is NOT one. But I would rather see the Belmont run first then have it in November. There were other years when the order was not the same although way back. I do NOT want to see the Belmont shortened. They should just run it late June. (IMO)
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Eternal optimism…
Tiz the Law is being targeted for the Belmont even though NYRA hasn’t said when or how it will be run. (Scheduled date of June 16 is not confirmed nor is any possible change in distance been mentioned.)
Sackatoga’s managing partner Jack Knowlton has said, in a perfect world (is it ever :lol: ) maybe Belmont, Travers (maybe moved to early August), KD on September, Preakness in October, BC in November.
Tiz the Law is currently 2nd in KD points.
Nothing like planning your race schedule with the first 2 race dates unconfirmed…
My personal opinion is that the Belmont should keep its distance. Run it in August. However; it would conflict with the Saratoga meet/Travers. Or keep it in June/July time frame and expect to run with no spectators. The problem with Belmont is that you cannot shuffle the races much as they conflict with the planned meet occurring in Toga.
Belmont certainly got the shaft on the deal this year. I just hope the races actually go off and perhaps the ones run in the later fall will have spectators. Fingers crossed
