The minimum stakes purse for the 2014 winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack has been increased to $100,000 from $75,000, the New York Racing Association announced Dec. 4.
NYRA also announced that Aqueduct will race Mondays instead of Wednesdays. The track will race five days a week in January and March on a Thursday-through-Monday schedule, and four days a week in February (Fridays through Mondays).
Stakes purses will total about $6 million for the meet. The $1 million Wood Memorial Stakes (gr. I), New York's premier prep race for the Triple Crown, tops the stakes schedule and will be contested April 5. The program will include the $500,000 Carter Handicap (gr. I), the $300,000 Gazelle Stakes and the $250,000 Ruffian Handicap (both gr. II), and the $300,000 Bay Shore Stakes (gr. III).
The Wood Memorial Stakes preps are the $200,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 4, the $250,000 Withers Stakes (gr. III) Feb. 1, and the $500,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) March 1.
NYRA officials said the weekly schedules at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course will mirror those of recent years, with racing six days a week at Saratoga.
The 2014 Aqueduct Racetrack winter/spring stakes schedule:
| DATE |
CLOSES |
RACE |
GR. |
PURSE |
AGE |
DISTANCE |
|
Wed., Jan 1 |
Sat., Dec. 21 |
Interborough |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Wed., Jan. 1 |
" |
Affectionately |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Jan. 4 |
" |
Jerome |
II |
200,000 |
3YO |
1 Mile 70 Yds |
|
Sat., Jan. 4 |
" |
Busanda |
|
100,000 |
F 3YO |
1 Mile 70 Yds |
|
Sat., Jan 11 |
Sat., Dec. 28 |
Ruthless |
|
100,000 |
F 3YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Jan. 18 |
Sat., Jan. 4 |
Evening Attire |
|
100,000 |
3 & UP |
1 1/16 |
|
Mon., Jan. 20 |
" |
Jimmy Winkfield |
|
100,000 |
3 YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Jan 25 |
" |
Ladies Hdcp |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Jan 25 |
|
TRIPLE CROWN (Early Closing) |
|
|
|
|
|
Sat., Feb. 1 |
Sat., Jan 18 |
Busher |
|
100,000 |
F 3YO |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Feb. 1 |
" |
Toboggan |
III |
150,000 |
3 & UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Feb. 1 |
" |
Correction |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Feb. 1 |
" |
Withers |
III |
250,000 |
3 YO |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Feb. 8 |
Sat., Jan. 25 |
Dearly Precious |
|
100,000 |
F 3YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Feb. 15 |
Sat., Feb. 1 |
Stymie |
|
100,000 |
3 & UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Mon., Feb. 17 |
" |
Hollie Hughes (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
3 & UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Feb. 22 |
Sat., Feb 8 |
Kings Point (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
3 & UP |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Mar. 1 |
Sat., Feb. 15 |
Tom Fool Hdcp. |
III |
200,000 |
3 & UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Mar. 1 |
" |
Gotham |
III |
500,000 |
3YO |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Mar. 1 |
" |
Top Flight Hdcp. |
II |
200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 1/16 |
|
Sat., Mar. 8 |
Sat., Feb. 22 |
Fred "Cappy" Capossela |
|
100,000 |
3 YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Mar. 15 |
Sat., Mar. 1 |
Cicada |
|
100,000 |
F 3YO |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Mar. 22 |
|
TRIPLE CROWN (Late Closing) |
|
|
|
|
|
Sat., Mar. 22 |
Sat., Mar. 8 |
Excelsior |
III |
150,000 |
3 & UP |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Mar. 29 |
Sat., Mar. 15 |
Broadway (NYB) |
|
100,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Apr. 5 |
Sat., Mar. 22 |
Wood Memorial |
I |
1,000,000 |
3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Apr. 5 |
" |
Carter Hdcp. |
I |
500,000 |
3&UP |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Apr. 5 |
" |
Bay Shore |
III |
300,000 |
3YO |
7 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Apr. 5 |
" |
Gazelle |
II |
300,000 |
F 3YO |
1 1/8 |
|
Sat., Apr. 5 |
" |
Ruffian Hdcp. |
II |
250,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
1 Mile |
|
Sat., Apr. 19 |
Sat., Apr. 5 |
Distaff (Hdcp) |
II |
200,000 |
F&M 3&UP |
6 Furlongs |
|
Sat., Apr. 26 |
CLOSED |
New York Stallion Stakes |
|
100,000 |
F 3YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
|
|
Park Avenue Division |
|
|
|
|
|
Sat., Apr. 26 |
CLOSED |
New York Stallion Stakes |
|
100,000 |
3YO |
6 1/2 Furlongs |
|
|
|
Times Square Division |
|
|
|
|