About
Best known as home to the Belmont Stakes, traditionally the third leg in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., on the border of Queens County and Nassau County, is often known as The Big Sandy, due to the 1½-mile dimensions of the track’s course and also as The Championship Track, since virtually every legendary horse has raced there, including all winners of the Triple Crown. Horse racing legends such as Man o’ War, Curlin, Beldame, Rachel Alexandra, Seabiscuit, Cigar, Affirmed, Seattle Slew, American Pharoah and many more have left the mark on the famous Belmont track.
Belmont Park is operated by the non-profit New York Racing Association (NYRA), as are fellow New York tracks Aqueduct and Saratoga Race Course.
August Belmont Jr. and former Secretary of the Navy William Collins Whitney, among several other investors, built the original Belmont race track which opened on May 4th, 1905. The track closed in 1963 due to structural defects. Belmont Park was rebuilt and reopened in 1968.
Since 2012, numerous further improvements have been undertaken in order to enhance the guest experience while at the same time preserving Belmont’s historic architectural elements. These updates include the installation of hundreds of HD televisions across the property and new video display boards in the paddock, installing Trakus technology for horseplayers and enhancing and expanding the Belmont Cafe and the Top of the Stretch picnic area.
In 2020, guests were greeted by $5 million in improvements to the transit rotunda on the west end of the grandstand, as well as new rail station platforms, which increased the Belmont Station train capacity from eight to 10 cars and improved egress from the track on major racing days.
Further developments on the site will see UBS Arena, the new home to the NHL’s New York Islanders, opening in time for the 2021-22 NHL season. In addition to the arena there will also be a hotel and a retail village.
Licence
Belmont Park is licenced by the Schenectady-based New York State Gaming Commission.
Major Horse Betting Events at the Venue
First run in 1867, the Belmont Stakes moved to Belmont Park in 1905. It’s where every Triple Crown winner in the history of the sport has clinched the title. Belmont’s 1½-mile dirt course is viewed as the ultimate test of horse racing superiority.
In 1973, Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, setting a world record for a 1½-mile race of 2:24 that still stands today. Trainer Woody Stephens stabled five straight Belmont winners from 1982-86. This incredible achievement is recognized by the “Woody’s Corner” display in the first-floor clubhouse lobby.
Belmont hosted its largest crowd ever at the 2004 Belmont Stakes when 120,139 saw longshot Birdstone upset Smarty Jones, ending the latter’s Triple Crown bid.
The Belmont Stakes is just one among 16 Grade I stakes events contested annually at Belmont Park. Other major races held at Belmont have included the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Woodward Stakes (since moved to Saratoga), the Suburban Handicap and the track’s Memorial Day standby the Metropolitan Handicap, also known as the “Met Mile.”
The Mother Goose Stakes and the Coaching Club American Oaks are races exclusive to fillies that are contested at Belmont. They are the first two installments of the NYRA’s Triple Tiara series for fillies. The Acorn Stakes, also held at Belmont, is part of the U.S. Triple Tiara series for fillies.
The Champagne Stakes is a Kentucky Derby prep race for two year olds. The Frizette Stakes is a race for two year old fillies that is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series. The Ogden Phipps Stakes is for older horses and the Woody Stephens Stakes for three year olds is held at a distance of 1 1/16-miles.
Belmont’s turf track features the Belmont Derby, Belmont Oaks, Manhattan Handicap, Just A Game Handicap, Jaipur Invitational Stakes, Bowling Green Handicap, Man O’ War Stakes, Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes and the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational.
Bet Types Allowed
Types of bets available at Belmont Park include win, place, show, across the board, exacta, trifecta and superfecta. Bets with multiple races included are daily double, pick 3, pick 4, pick 5, pick 6 and grand slam.
Horses can be boxed in exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagering, enabling a ticket to cash as a winner no matter the order of finish of the horses that are part of the box.
Winning pari-mutuel tickets from all races conducted at Belmont must be presented for payment on or before March 31 of the following year and can be cashed during normal business hours.
Mobile Betting App
With an NYRA Bets account, players who download the NYRA Bets app can wager on races at Belmont directly from their mobile device. Beyond Belmont, the NYRA Bets app provides wagering opportunities on horse racing from around the world.
The iOS version of the NYRA Bets app can be downloaded from the App Store. A link to access download for an Android device is available directly from the NYRA Bets web page.
At NYRA Bets, they offer new players a 100 percent matching first deposit bonus worth up to a maximum of $200. NYRA Bets also offers a rewards program providing points for every wager played.
Promotions
The Belmont Showdown is a free online mythical bet contest following racing on the broadcast of America’s Day at the Races on FS1 and FS2. Watch your name climb the leaderboard and compete against fellow fans for real prizes.
The Showdown features racing from Belmont Park and will be available each day of Belmont Park racing on America’s Day at the Races.
With the $50 Belmont Bonus, bet at least $25 or more on each Belmont Park stakes race on the NYRA Bets App on the promotional day specified and get $50 whether your bet wins or loses.
There are similar regular crossover promotions offered between Belmont, Churchill Downs and Pimlico Race Course and a Belmont reload bonus offer.
