Belmont attendance kept down to avoid logistical issues

ELMONT, N.Y. — American Pharoah went off at Belmont Park with a chance to win the Triple Crown, but he never had a shot to draw a record crowd.

That’s because the New York Racing Association capped ticket sales at 90,000, hoping to avoid the logistical nightmares that marred last year’s Belmont Stakes. No walk-up tickets were available Saturday.

With a crowd of 102,199 on hand to watch California Chrome in 2014, concession stands ran out of food and beverages hours before post time for the big race. Then, departing fans had to wait for hours and fight through brutal crowds to get on commuter trains.

In addition to limiting attendance Saturday, NYRA booked a post-race performance by the Goo Goo Dolls, hoping to create a staggered departure schedule for fans.

“This step is similar to the policies and practices of professional sports teams, and will not only result in an enhanced experience for Belmont guests, but will further improve access to and from the Belmont property on Saturday,” the racing association said in a statement.

But the decision surprised many observers, especially given the record crowds this year at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Belmont reached its peak in 2004, when 120,139 came to watch Smarty Jones seek a Triple Crown. That day went off without the problems that plagued last year’s race, which drew the third largest crowd in Belmont history.

Lucrative day

New York racing officials have spent millions of dollars in the last two years to build up the Belmont Day card, hoping to mitigate attendance drops in years when no Triple Crown is on the line.

They haven’t had a real chance to test the approach, because the last two years have featured Triple Crown contenders. But the undercard Saturday was impressive regardless, featuring eight stakes races with purses ranging from $300,000 for the Jaipur Invitational to $1.25 million for the NYRA.com Metropolitan Mile.

The Metropolitan Mile featured a star-studded field, including last year’s Belmont champion, Tonalist, 2014 Breeder’s Cup Classic winner Bayern and former Kentucky Derby and Belmont contender Wicked Strong.

But Honor Code, trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey III, beat them all with a brilliant surge down the stretch. He was considered a strong contender for last year’s Triple Crown series but missed all three races because of a ligament injury.

“He’s been a special horse all along,” McGaughey said.

It was a day filled with upsets, including Wedding Toast’s victory over the great filly Untapable in the $1-million Ogden Phipps Stakes.

“The other one had another gear,” said Untapable’s jockey, John Velazquez. “She was running, [but] the other horse had another gear.”

In a sad moment during the Jaipur, French horse Helwan pulled up with a broken left front leg and was later euthanized on the track.