NYRA announces 2018 race schedule

OZONEPARK » The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has released its 2018 racing calendar, which calls for 229 days of live thoroughbred action at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course.

Once again, the 40- day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Coursewill serve as the anchor for a spectacular year of racing. The meet, featuring the 91st running of the Grade 1 Whitney and the 149th edition of the Grade 1 Travers, will begin on Friday, July 20 and conclude on Labor Day, Monday, September 3. Live racing will be conducted six days a week, Wednesday through Monday.

Racing at Aqueduct will continue throughApril 22, 2018. Racing will generally be held four

days a week during the months of January and February and three days a week in March.

The 54- day Belmont spring/summer meet begins on Friday, April 27. The three- day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 7, and is anchored by the 150th running of the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 9. The spring/summer meet concludes on Sunday, July 15.

Following the Saratoga meet, racing will return to Belmont for the 36- day Fall Championship meet, beginning Friday, September 7 through Sunday, October 28.

NYRA’s 2018 racing schedule wraps up with 38 days of live racing at the Big A commencing on Friday, November 2 and featuring a simulcast of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships on November 2 and 3 at Churchill Downs. There will be a four- day break during the week of Christmas and the schedule will draw to a close onMonday, New Year’s Eve.