Thursday, September 16, 2010
Contact: Jenny Kellner
vkellner@nyrainc.com
COLLEGE DAY RETURNS TO BELMONT PARK ON OCTOBER 9
ELMONT, N.Y. – College Day, sponsored by the Dime Savings Bank (Dime), returns to Belmont Park on Saturday, October 9 and offers college students free admission and the chance to win more than $10,000 in scholarships in addition to great giveaways and prizes.
All college students with a valid student ID will receive free grandstand admission on October 9 and the first 250 to register will receive a free commemorative t-shirt. The Belmont Park gates open that day at 11:00 a.m. and registration for prize eligibility will begin immediately thereafter in the Paddock Tent.
Following each race on College Day, a student prize entry will be drawn for a $1,000 scholarship, with a $2,000 scholarship, presented by Dime, drawn after the last race. In order to be eligible for the scholarships, the entrants must be full-time students in an accredited college that accepts federal financial aid.
On top of the scholarships, students who register for the contest will also be eligible to win great prizes such as an Apple iPad, courtesy of Dime, and gift cards.
To enhance the festivities, the Belmont Backyard will feature live music from Long Island’s own “Downtown” band from noon until 4 p.m., and the Event Kings will provide games and activities geared towards college-age patrons.
College Day will also feature a great day of racing highlighted by a trio of Grade 1 races – the $300,000 Champagne for 2-year-olds, the $300,000 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies and the Jamaica Handicap for 3-year-olds on the turf.
Founded in 1955, and franchised to run thoroughbred racing at New York’s three major tracks through 2033, The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) boasts a lineage that actually stretches back almost 150 years. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of the state’s thoroughbred business which contributes more than $2 billion annually to New York State’s urban, suburban and rural economy. In 2009, more than 1.6 million people attended the live races at NYRA tracks. Factoring nationwide off-track wagering, the average daily betting handle on NYRA races alone totals more than $9.3 million every race day. NYRA has a vast network of websites, including www.nyra.com, www.belmontstakes.com, and www.nyragroupsales.com. You can also follow NYRA on social media platforms Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and YouTube.
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