| Thursday, May 15, 2014 Contact: Jon Forbes jforbes@nyrainc.com Belmont to feature 12 races, noon first post, Preakness simulcast, and handicapping seminar on Saturday ELMONT, N.Y. - In addition to a live simulcast of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course, Belmont Park on Saturday will present 12 live races, including the Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy for filly and mare sprinters. Belmont's first race on Saturday is scheduled for noon, moved up from the usual 1:20 p.m. first-race post time. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m. Self-service betting terminals and designated mutuel teller windows at both Belmont and Aqueduct will open at 10:15 a.m., 30 minutes before Pimlico's first race at 10:45. Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome will attempt to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive when he competes in the Preakness, which has a scheduled post time of 6:20 p.m. Racing fans at Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack will be able to wager on the Preakness and all 13 races from Pimlico Race Course. Belmont will offer an additional Pick 4 wager on Saturday, giving bettors three opportunities to play the wager. There will be Pick 4s offered on races 2-5, races 6-9, and races 9-12. The final Pick 4 will have a $300,000 guarantee. In addition, Belmont will host a free handicapping seminar with Matt Bernier from the Esquire TV series "Horseplayers," NYRA morning line maker Eric Donovan, and Peter Fornatale from the Daily Racing Form. The seminar, which will focus on handicapping tournaments and include a segment on the Preakness, will be held on the fourth floor of the Clubhouse in the North Shore Terrace from 12:40-1:30 p.m. The first 100 guests to register on NYRA.com will receive a free copy of Fornatale's book "The Winning Contest Player." The Triple Crown will conclude on June 7 when Belmont Park hosts the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes. Belmont Park will host 10 stakes races that day and feature entertainment provided LL COOL J, Frank Sinatra Jr., musicians from the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, former New York Yankees great Bernie Williams, and performers from the Tony award-winning Broadway musical WICKED. Remaining seating and hospitality can be purchased by visiting ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-NYRA-TIX. Walk-up admission is always available either through advance purchase at the box office or at admission gates on Belmont Stakes Day itself. -30- |
