$1 Million Gold Cup Tops NYRA Fall Schedule

By Blood-Horse Staff

The New York Racing Association, Inc. has released the stakes schedules for the 2012 and fall meets that will be highlighted by the $1 million TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I).

The 37-day Belmont fall meet runs from Sept. 8-Oct. 28 and Aqueduct’s meet begins Nov. 2 and concludes Dec. 31, for a 39-day meet.

The purse for the Gold Cup, one of five grade I races on the Sept. 29 race card at Belmont, was increased this year from $750,000. In addition to the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup for older males, additional grade I races that day are the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational for turf routers, $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational for filly and mare turf routers, $400,000 Beldame Invitational for filly and mare dirt routers, and the $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational for dirt sprinters. Also on Sept. 29 is the grade II, $400,000 Kelso Handicap for dirt milers.

The schedule consists of 21 graded stakes and 10 other stakes and includes 11 Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” events, with the winners receiving an automatic starting position in the corresponding World Championships race. Challenge race winners will also have their pre-entry and entry fees paid, with a travel allowance of $10,000 for North American runners and $20,000 for international runners when they start in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

The grade I stakes offerings for the Belmont fall meet begin with the $300,000 Garden City for 3-year-old fillies Sept. 15.

On Oct. 6, juvenile males compete in the $400,000 Foxwoods Champagne (gr. I) at a mile on the main track, while 2-year-old fillies will also race a mile in the $400,000 Frizette (gr. I). That day’s trio of grade I races is completed by the $400,000 Jamaica for 3-year-old routers on the turf.

Among additions to the Belmont fall meet are the grade II, $200,000 Futurity for 2-year- olds going six furlongs on the dirt and the grade II, $200,000 Matron for 2-year-old fillies. Both races, which were run during the Belmont spring meet in 2011, will be contested on Sept. 30.

New York breds will be featured on the “New York Showcase Day” card Oct. 20. The seven stakes races for New York breds with purses totaling $1.15 million are highlighted by the $250,000 Empire Classic for dirt routers.

The Aqueduct fall meet features 11 graded stakes, highlighted by the grade I, $350,000 Cigar Mile on Nov. 24. The supporting card for the Cigar Mile includes the grade I, $350,000 Gazelle for filly dirt routers, the grade II, $250,000 Remsen for 2-year-old dirt routers, and the grade II, $250,000 Demoiselle for 2-year-old filly dirt routers.

Additions to the Aqueduct fall stakes schedule include the grade II, $200,000 for juveniles going a mile on dirt and the grade III, $150,000 Tempted for juvenile fillies. Both races, which were run during the Belmont fall meet in 2011, are scheduled for Nov. 4.

2012 DATE RACE GRADE AGE DISTANCE PURSE BELMONT FALL MEETING Sat.,Sept., 8 Bowling Green (Hdcp.) II 200,000 3&UP 1 1/4 (Turf) Sun., Sept. 9 Ashley T. Cole (NYB) 150,000 3&UP 1 1/8 (Turf) F&M Sun., Sept 9 John Hettinger (NYB) 150,000 1 1/8 (Turf) 3&UP Sat., Sept. 15 Garden City I 300,000 F3YO 1 1/8 (Turf) F&M Sat., Sept. 15 Noble Damsel III 150,000 1 Mile (Turf) 3&UP Foxwoods Gallant Bloom F&M 6 1/2 Sat., Sept. 22 II 200,000 (Hdcp.) 3&UP Furlongs Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Sat., Sept. 29 I 600,000 3&UP 1 1/2 (Turf) Inv. TVG Jockey Club Gold Sat., Sept. 29 I 1,000,000 3&UP 1 1/4 Cup Inv. F&M Sat., Sept. 29 Flower Bowl Inv. I 600,000 1 1/4 (Turf) 3&UP F&M Sat., Sept. 29 Beldame Invitational I 400,000 1 1/8 3&UP Sat., Sept. 29 Vosburgh Invitational I 400,000 3&UP 6 Furlongs Sat., Sept. 29 Kelso (Hdcp.) II 400,000 3&UP 1 Mile Sun., Sept 30 Matron II 200,000 F 2YO 6 Furlongs Sun., Sept 30 Futurity II 200,000 2YO 6 Furlongs Sat., Oct. 6 Foxwoods Champagne I 400,000 2YO 1 Mile Sat., Oct. 6 Frizette I 400,000 F2YO 1 Mile Sat., Oct. 6 Jamaica I 400,000 3YO 1 1/8 (Turf) Sun., Oct. 7 Pilgrim III 150,000 2YO 1 1/16 (Turf) Sun., Oct. 7 Miss Grillo III 150,000 F2YO 1 1/16 (Turf) Mon., Oct. 8 Pebbles 150,000 F3YO 1 Mile (Turf) F&M Sat., Oct. 13 Athenia III 150,000 1 1/16 (Turf) 3&UP Sat., Oct. 13 Knickerbocker III 150,000 3&UP 1 1/8 (Turf) Sat., Oct. 20 Bertram F. Bongard 125,000 2YO 7 Furlongs F&M Sat., Oct. 20 Iroquois (NYB) 150,000 7 Furlongs 3&UP Sat., Oct. 20 Mohawk (NYB) 175,000 3&UP 1 1/16 (Turf) Sat., Oct. 20 Joseph A. Gimma 125,000 F2YO 7 Furlongs Sat., Oct. 20 Hudson (NYB) 150,000 3&UP 6 Furlongs F&M Sat., Oct. 20 Ticonderoga (NYB) 175,000 1 1/16 (Turf) 3&UP Sat., Oct. 20 Empire Classic (NYB) 250,000 3&UP 1 1/8 Sat., Oct. 27 III 150,000 3&UP 7 Furlongs F&M Sat., Oct. 27 Turnback the Alarm III 150,000 1 1/16 3&UP

AQUEDUCT FALL MEETING Sat., Nov. 3 Red Smith II 200,000 3&UP 1 3/8 (Turf) Sun., Nov. 4 Nashua II 200,000 2YO 1 Mile Sun., Nov. 4 Tempted III 150,000 F2YO 1 Mile F&M Sat., Nov. 10 Long Island III 150,000 1 1/2 (Turf) 3&UP Sun., Nov. New York Stallion Series 125,000 F2YO 6 Furlongs 11 Fifth Avenue Division

Sun., Nov. New York Stallion Series 11 Great White Way 125,000 2YO 6 Furlongs Division

Sun., Nov. New York Stallion Series F&M 100,000 7 Furlongs 11 Staten Island Division 3&UP

Sun., Nov. New York Stallion Series 100,000 3&UP 7 Furlongs 11 Thunder Rumble Division

Sat.,Nov. 17 Discovery III 150,000 3YO 1 1/8 Thurs., Nov. Fall Highweight (Hdcp.) III 150,000 3&UP 6 Furlongs 22 F&M Fri., Nov. 23 Go For Wand (Hdcp) II 200,000 1 Mile 3&UP Sat., Nov. 24 Cigar Mile (Hdcp) I 350,000 3&UP 1 Mile Sat., Nov. 24 Gazelle I 350,000 F3YO 1 1/8 Sat., Nov. 24 Demoiselle II 250,000 F2YO 1 1/8 Sat., Nov. 24 Remsen II 250,000 2YO 1 1/8 F&M Sat., Dec. 1 Garland of Roses 75,000 6 Furlongs 3&UP Sat., Dec. 8 Queens County 75,000 3&UP 1 1/8 Sun., Dec. 9 East View (NYB) 75,000 F2YO 1 70 Yards Sun., Dec. 9 Damon Runyon (NYB) 75,000 2YO 1 70 Yards Sat., Dec. 15 Gravesend 75,000 3&UP 6 Furlongs Sat., Dec. 26 Alex M. Robb (NYB) 75,000 3&UP 1 1/16