The New York Racing Association‘s stakes schedule for the 2011 Belmont Park spring/summer meet includes the return of four graded stakes that were on hiatus in 2010 due to financial constraints.
Returning to the schedule are two grade II juvenile races that previously were run during the fall meet. The Futurity for 2-year-olds and the Matron for 2-year-olds fillies will now be contested at six furlongs and carry purses of $150,000 when renewed July 3. The other two stakes returning to the Belmont spring/summer stakes schedule are the grade II, $200,000 Peter Pan for 3-year-old colts which will be run Saturday, May 14 and the grade III, $100,000 Poker Handicap on the turf to be run Friday, June 10. Both races were on hiatus in 2010.
The Belmont spring/summer meet is highlighted by the grade I, $1 million Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown. The 1 1/2-mile test on June 11 highlights a card that also includes the grade I, $400,000 Woodford Reserve for older horses on the turf, the grade I, $400,000 Foxwoods Just a Game for fillies and mares on the turf, the grade I, $300,000 Betfair TVG Acorn for 3-year-old fillies, and a pair of sprints in the grade II, $250,000 True North Handicap for older horses at six furlongs and the Grade II, $250,000 Woody Stephens for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.
Belmont’s grade I season commences Memorial Day, May 30, with the $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap and is followed on the calendar by the addditional grade I, $250,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap for fillies and mares on Saturday, June 18, the $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday, June 25, and the $600,000 Man o’War on the turf Saturday, July 9.
NYRA also released the stakes schedule for the Saratgoa meet, which kicks off for the 143rd time on Friday, July 22. The schedule of 17 grade I races bregins with the $250,000 Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on opening weekend, and includes at least one grade I race every Saturday during its 40-day schedule. Opening weekend also features the grade III, $100,000 Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies on Friday, July 22, the grade II, $150,000 Sanford for 2-year-olds on Sunday, July 24, and the Evan Shipman, a $75,000 stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up on Monday, July 25.
Saturday, July 30 features the grade I, $500,000 Diana for fillies and mares on the turf and the grade II, $500,000 Jim Dandy for 3-year-olds. Sunday, July 31, features the grade I, $250,000 Ruffian Handicap for fillies and mares on the dirt, and the grade II, $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap on the turf.
The following Saturday, Aug. 6, boasts a pair of grade I races in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap for older horses and the $250,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies. On Sunday, Aug. 7, are the grade I, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap for male sprinters, and the grade II, $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap for female sprinters.
The grade I, $500,000 Sword Dancer on the turf will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, and the grade I, $500,000 Betfair TVG Alabama for 3-year-old fillies will be run on Saturday, Aug. 20.
The grade I, $1 million Travers Stakes, run on Saturday Aug. 27, heads a card that includes a trio of prestigious dirt sprints in the grade I, $250,000 Foxwoods King’s Bishop for 3-year-olds, the grade I, $250,000 Ballerina for fillies and mares, and the grade III, $100,000 Victory Ride for 3-year-old fillies. The grade II, $200,000 Ballston Spa for fillies and mares on the turf rounds out the day of racing. Travers weekend is bookended with the grade II, $200,000 Bernard Baruch for turfers on Friday, Aug. 26, and the grade I, $300,000 Personal Ensign for dirt distaffers on Sunday, August 28.
The Saratoga meet concludes on Labor Day weekend with the grade I, $750,000 Woodward and grade I, $250,000 Forego, both for 3-year-olds and up, on Saturday, Sept. 3; the grade I, $250,000 Spinaway for 2-year-old fillies and the grade III, $100,000 Saranac for 3-year-olds on the turf on Sunday, Sept. 4; and the grade I, $250,000 Hopeful for juveniles and the grade III, $100,000 Glens Falls for fillies and mares on the turf on Monday, September 5.
Total stakes purses for the 2011 Saratoga meet are just over $10.9 million, with the only change from last year being a $50,000 increase to the With Anticipation in line with its upgrade to grade II status. There were no substantive changes to the Saratoga schedule this year.
2011 Belmont Park Spring/Summer Meeting:
| DATE | RACE | GRADE | 2011 PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE |
| Sat., Apr. 30 | Westchester | III | 100,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., May. 7 | Beaugay | III | 100 000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., May. 7 | Fort Marcy | III | 100 000 | 3 & UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sun., May. 8 | New York Stallion Stakes -- Park Avenue Division | 100,000 | F 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Sun., May. 8 | New York Stallion Stakes--Times Square Division | 100,000 | 3YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Sat., May. 14 | Peter Pan | II | 200 000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., May 21 | Shuvee (Hdcp.) | II | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., May 28 | Sheepshead Bay | II | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) |
| Sun., May 29 | Kingston (NYB) | 100,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sun., May 29 | Mount Vernon (NYB) | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Mon., May 30 | Metropolitan Handicap | I | 500,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile |
| Mon., May 30 | Sands Point | II | 150,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., June 4 | Vagrancy Hdcp. | II | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Sun., June 5 | New York Stallion Stakes -- Cupecoy's Joy Division | 75,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., June 5 | New York Stallion Stakes -- Spectacular Bid Division | 75,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Fri., June 10 | Brooklyn Hdcp. | II | 150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 |
| Fri., June 10 | Poker Hdcp. | III | 100,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., June 11 | Belmont | I | 1,000,000 | 3YO | 1 1/2 |
| Sat., June 11 | Woodford Reserve Manhattan (Hdcp) | I | 400,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/4 (Turf) |
| Sat., June 11 | True North (Hdcp.) | II | 250,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., June 11 | Woody Stephens | II | 250,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., June 11 | Foxwoods Just a Game | I | 400,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., June 11 | Betfair TVG Acorn | I | 300,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile |
| Sat., June 18 | Ogden Phipps (Hdcp.) | I | 250,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 |
| Sat., June 18 | Hill Prince | III | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sat., June 25 | New York | II | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/4 (Turf) |
| Sat., June 25 | Mother Goose | I | 250,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 |
| Sun., June 26 | Bouwerie (NYB) | 100,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Sun., June 26 | Mike Lee (NYB) | 100,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Sat., July 2 | Suburban (Hdcp.) | II | 300,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., July 2 | Dwyer | II | 150,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 |
| Sun., July 3 | Bed o' Roses (Hdcp.) | III | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sun., July 3 | Matron | II | 150,000 | F 2YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sun., July 3 | Futurity | II | 150,000 | 2YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Mon., July 4 | Prioress | I | 250,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., July 9 | Man o'War | I | 600,000 | 3&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) |
| Sat., July 16 | Jaipur | III | 100,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs (Turf) |
2011 Saratoga Race Course Meeting:
| DATE | RACE | GRADE | 2011 PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE |
| Fri., July. 22 | Schuylerville | III | 100,000 | F2YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., July 23 | Betfair TVG Coaching Club American Oaks | I | 250,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 |
| Sun., July. 24 | Sanford | II | 150,000 | 2YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Mon., July 25 | Evan Shipman (NYB) | 75,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 | |
| Wed., July. 27 | Lake George | II | 150,000 | F3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Thurs., July 28 | Quick Call | 75,000 | 3YO | 5 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Fri., July. 29 | Curlin | 75,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 | |
| Sat., July. 30 | Diana | I | 500,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Sat., July. 30 | Jim Dandy | II | 500,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 |
| Sun., July. 31 | Ruffian Hdcp. | I | 250,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sun., July. 31 | Fourstardave (Hdcp.) | II | 150,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Mon., Aug 1 | Amsterdam | II | 150,000 | 3YO | 61/2 Furlongs |
| Wed., Aug. 3 | John Morrissey (NYB) | 75,000 | 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Thurs., Aug. 4 | A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S'Chase) | II | 75,000 | 4&UP | 2 1/16 (Turf) |
| Fri., Aug. 5 | John's Call, presented by Sportech | 75,000 | 3&UP | 1 5/8 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Aug. 6 | Whitney (Hdcp.) | I | 750,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Aug. 6 | Test | I | 250,000 | F3YO | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Aug. 6 | De La Rose | 75,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sun., Aug. 7 | Honorable Miss (Hdcp.) | II | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sun., Aug. 7 | Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Hdcp.) | I | 250,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Mon., Aug. 8 | Waya | 75,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Wed., Aug. 10 | New York Stallion Series -- Cab Calloway Division | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Thurs., Aug. 11 | New York Stallion Series -- Statue Of Liberty Division | 100,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Fri., Aug. 12 | National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame | II | 150,000 | 3YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Aug.13 | Sword Dancer Inv. | I | 500,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) |
| Sun., Aug. 14 | Adirondack | II | 150,000 | F2YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Mon., Aug. 15 | Saratoga Special | II | 150,000 | 2YO | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Wed., Aug 17 | Troy | 75,000 | 3&UP | 5 1/2 (T) | |
| Thurs., Aug. 18 | West Point (NYB) | 100,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Fri., Aug. 19 | Yaddo (NYB) | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Aug. 20 | Betfair TVG Alabama | I | 500,000 | F3YO | 1 1/4 |
| Sun., Aug. 21 | Woodford Reserve Lake Placid | II | 150,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Mon., Aug. 22 | Union Avenue (NYB) | 75,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 Furlongs | |
| Wed., Aug. 24 | Albany (NYB) | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 | |
| Thurs., Aug. 25 | New York Turf Writers Cup (Hdcp.)(Steeplechase) | I | 100,000 | 4&UP | 2 3/8 (Turf) |
| Fri., Aug. 26 | Bernard Baruch (Hdcp.) | II | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Sat., Aug. 27 | Ballston Spa | II | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Aug. 27 | Travers | I | 1,000,000 | 3YO | 1 1/4 |
| Sat., Aug. 27 | Victory Ride | III | 100,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Aug. 27 | Foxwoods King's Bishop | I | 250,000 | 3YO | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Aug. 27 | Ballerina | I | 250,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sun., Aug. 28 | Personal Ensign | I | 300,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/4 |
| Mon., Aug. 29 | Saratoga Dew (NYB) | 75,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 | |
| Wed., Aug. 31 | P. G. Johnson | 75,000 | F2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Thurs., Sept. 1 | With Anticipation | II | 150,000 | 2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Fri., Sept 2 | Riskaverse | 75,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sat., Sept. 3 | Forego | I | 250,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Sept. 3 | The Woodward | I | 750,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sun., Sept. 4 | Spinaway | I | 250,000 | F2YO | 7 Furlongs |
| Sun., Sept. 4 | Saranac | III | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Mon., Sept. 5 | Hopeful | I | 250,000 | 2YO | 7 Furlongs |
| Mon., Sept. 5 | Glens Falls | III | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 3/8 (Turf) |
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