Belmont Park facts for kids
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| Location | 2150 Hempstead Turnpike Elmont, New York, United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°42′54″N 73°43′22″W / 40.71500°N 73.72278°W |
| Owned by | State of New York |
| Operated by | New York Racing Association |
| Date opened | May 4, 1905 May 20, 1968 (renovation) |
| Capacity | 100,000 |
| Screened on |
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| Course type | Flat/Thoroughbred 1.5 miles (2.4 km) |
| Notable races |
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Belmont Park is a famous horse racetrack located in Elmont, New York. It's just east of New York City. This track is most famous for hosting the Belmont Stakes. This race is the final part of the American Triple Crown.
Belmont Park first opened on May 4, 1905. It quickly became one of the most well-known racetracks in the United States. The original building was taken down in 1963. A second version opened in 1968. This second building was also taken down in 2023. A third, new Belmont Park is expected to open in 2026.
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) runs Belmont Park. Racing usually happens from late April to mid-July (the Spring meet). It also runs from mid-September to late October (the Fall meet). The main dirt track is called "the Big Sandy." This is because it's very large (1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km)) and its surface can be tiring for horses. Belmont is also known as "The Championship Track." Many major champion horses have raced here since the early 1900s. This includes all the Triple Crown winners.
Belmont Park had its biggest crowd at the 2004 Belmont Stakes. Over 120,000 people watched Smarty Jones lose to Birdstone. This happened when Smarty Jones was trying to win the Triple Crown.
Contents
History of Belmont Park
The First Belmont Park (1903-1963)
August Belmont Jr. and William Collins Whitney helped build the first Belmont race track. It opened on May 4, 1905. Arthur Underhill designed the park. For about 15 years, races at Belmont Park ran clockwise. This was called the "English fashion." It allowed important guests to see the races finish right in front of the clubhouse.
Later, Joseph E. Widener became the track leader. He added the Widener Chute. This was a straight path almost 7 furlongs (1.4 km) long. It cut across the training and main tracks. This special path was removed in 1958.
Two parts of the original Belmont Park are still there today. Four stone pillars stand on Hempstead Turnpike. These were a gift from Charleston, South Carolina. They used to be at the entrance of another old racetrack. You can find them now at the clubhouse entrance. Also, some iron railings with a racing design are still visible. These were saved when the old grandstand was taken down in 1963.
The first Belmont Park was very large. It also had a new feature: a Long Island Rail Road extension. This train line ran to the property. It went under Hempstead Turnpike and ended on the south side. The train station moved to its current spot north of the turnpike after 1956.
The last race at the old Belmont Park was in October 1962.
Aviation Meets at the Track
Belmont Park also made history in aviation. On October 30, 1910, about 150,000 people came to the track. They watched an International Aviation Meet at Belmont Park. This event was put on by the Wright Brothers. It happened when horse racing was not allowed in New York State.
Eight years later, Belmont was used for aviation again. The racetrack was the northern starting point for the first U.S. air mail route. This route went between the New York area and Washington, D.C.
The Second Belmont Park (1968-2024)
In 1963, the old grandstand was found to be unsafe. It was too old and needed to be rebuilt. So, the old building was taken down. A new grandstand was built from 1964 to 1968. During this time, the Belmont races were held at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The new grandstand cost $30.7 million. It opened on May 20, 1968. It was the biggest grandstand in thoroughbred racing. It could hold over 100,000 people. This included seats for 33,000 and a backyard area for over 10,000.
A long painting by Pierre Bellocq is on the second floor of the clubhouse. It shows famous jockeys, trainers, and racing people. This painting celebrates the track's history.
The last race at the second Belmont Park was on July 9, 2023. The demolition of this building started in March 2024 and finished in June 2024.
UBS Arena at Belmont
In 2017, New York State decided to use empty parking lots at Belmont. They wanted to build new stadiums for sports teams. The New York Islanders (an NHL ice hockey team) and New York City FC (an MLS soccer team) were interested.
The Islanders planned to build an 18,000-seat arena. They also wanted retail shops, a hotel, and a community center. On December 20, 2017, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Islanders' project was approved. The UBS Arena opened for the 2021-22 NHL season. This plan also included a new Elmont station for the LIRR.
The Planned Third Belmont Park
In December 2022, the New York Racing Association announced big plans. They want to upgrade Belmont Park. The goal is to make it suitable for year-round racing and training.
Construction started in April 2023. They began building a one-mile synthetic racing track. This track is inside the inner turf course. The next steps include finishing the synthetic track. They will also make the inner turf course wider. A second tunnel will be built near the first turn.
Because of this construction, the Belmont fall races moved to Aqueduct in 2022 and 2023. The 2024 Belmont Stakes also moved to Saratoga Race Course. The 2025 Belmont Stakes will also be at Saratoga.
On May 1, 2023, NYRA announced they got $455 million. This money is for the grandstand rebuilding and other projects. As of July 2024, the second Belmont Park is completely gone. Reconstruction is planned until September 2026. When the new grandstand is done, Belmont might host the Breeders' Cup again. The Breeders' Cup is a big championship event. This new project will likely lead to the closing of nearby Aqueduct Racetrack in late 2026.
Physical Features
Belmont Park is a huge complex of 430 acres (170 ha). It has racing, training, and barn areas. It's located in Nassau County, New York. The first horse racing meet in North America happened nearby in 1665.
The dirt racecourse is called the Main Track. It's nicknamed "Big Sandy" by racing fans. It's 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) around. This makes it the longest dirt thoroughbred racetrack in North America. Inside this track is the Widener Turf Course. It's named after the Widener family, who are famous in horse racing. This turf course is 1+5⁄16 miles (2.1 km) long. Inside that is the Inner Turf Course, which is 1+3⁄16 miles (1.9 km) around.
On the Main Track, it's 1,097 feet (334 m) from the start of the final straight part to the finish line. A special straight path, called a chute, leads to the Main Track. This allows races up to 1+1⁄8 miles (1.8 km) long to be run with only one turn. In March 2009, lights were added to the training track. This helps make early morning workouts safer.
Location
The racetrack, grandstand, and training areas are all in Elmont, New York. This community is in Nassau County, New York. However, the Long Island Rail Road station and some parking areas are right on the border with Queens County.
Belmont Park has direct ramps to the Cross Island Parkway. This parkway runs north and south, just west of the park. The address for Belmont Park is 2150 Hempstead Turnpike (New York State Route 24).
Racing Events
The Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes race is named after August Belmont Sr.. He was a financier and sportsman who helped pay for the race. Most people say the racetrack itself was also named after him.
The race first ran in 1867 at Jerome Park Racetrack. In 1937, special iron gates were given to Belmont Park. These gates showed a picture of that first Belmont Stakes. They were on the fourth floor of Belmont Park's clubhouse until it was taken down in 2024.
The Belmont Stakes races have been held at Belmont Park since 1905. There were a few exceptions. In 1911–12, horse racing was not allowed in New York. From 1963–67, the race was at Aqueduct while Belmont was rebuilt. The 2024 race was at Saratoga Race Course because Belmont is being rebuilt again.
Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont in 2 minutes, 24 seconds. This set a world record for 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) on dirt. This record still stands today! His 31-length win secured the first Triple Crown in 25 years. A statue of Secretariat is in the middle of the Belmont paddock.
Another special achievement is honored by the "Woody's Corner" display. This display celebrated Woody Stephens. He trained five Belmont Stakes winners in a row from 1982 to 1986.
The racetrack also saw Affirmed's close win over Alydar in the 1978 Belmont Stakes. This victory made Affirmed a Triple Crown winner. Seattle Slew, another Triple Crown winner, beat Affirmed in the Marlboro Cup that same year.
Officials worked to get more people to come to Belmont Stakes Day. In 2004, a record 120,139 people came. They wanted to see if Smarty Jones would win the Triple Crown.
American Pharoah won the 2015 Belmont Stakes on June 6. He became the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. For that race, attendance was limited to 90,000 people.
Other Important Races at Belmont
Besides the Belmont Stakes, other big races are held at Belmont. These include the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Metropolitan Handicap, also known as the "Met Mile."
An important race for female horses is the Acorn Stakes. This is the first part of the US Triple Tiara.
All these races are on dirt. Important races on grass (turf) include the Belmont Derby, Belmont Oaks, and Manhattan Handicap.
Belmont's Fall Championship meet has New York Showcase Day. This day in late October features seven races for horses born in New York. The richest race is the $250,000 Empire Classic Handicap.
Belmont Park has seen many memorable moments. In 1905, the track opened with a famous tie between Sysonby and Race King. In 1923, Belmont hosted a race between American champion Zev and English champion Papyrus. Zev won in front of 70,000 people.
Belmont Park was also the site of a sad race in 1975. Foolish Pleasure raced against the champion female horse Ruffian. Ruffian was badly injured during the race and had to be put down. She was buried near the finish line at Belmont Park.
Graded Events
Here are some of the important Graded races held at Belmont Park in 2022:
Grade I
- Acorn Stakes
- Belmont Derby
- Belmont Oaks
- Belmont Stakes
- Champagne Stakes
- Frizette Stakes
- Jaipur Invitational Stakes
- Joe Hirsch Turf Classic
- Just a Game Stakes
- Manhattan Stakes
- Ogden Phipps Stakes
- Metropolitan Handicap
- New York Stakes
- Woody Stephens Stakes
Grade II
- Bed O' Roses Invitational Stakes
- Beldame Stakes
- Belmont Gold Cup Invitational Stakes
- Brooklyn Invitational Stakes
- Gallant Bloom Handicap
- Hill Prince Stakes
- John A. Nerud Stakes
- Kelso Handicap
- Knickerbocker Stakes
- Man o' War Stakes
- Miss Grillo Stakes
- Mother Goose Stakes
- Ruffian Handicap
- Sands Point Stakes
- Sheepshead Bay Stakes
- Suburban Stakes
- True North Stakes
- Wonder Again Stakes
- Woodward Stakes
Grade III
- Athenia Stakes
- Beaugay Stakes
- Bold Ruler Handicap
- Dwyer Stakes
- Fort Marcy Stakes
- Futurity Stakes
- Intercontinental Stakes
- Jockey Club Derby
- Jockey Club Oaks
- Matron Stakes
- Noble Damsel Handicap
- Pennine Ridge Stakes
- Pebbles Stakes
- Peter Pan Stakes
- Pilgrim Stakes
- Poker Stakes
- Soaring Softly Stakes
- Vagrancy Handicap
- Victory Ride Stakes
- Vosburgh Stakes
- Waya Stakes
- Westchester Stakes
Racing Seasons
Before the 2024 rebuilding, Belmont Park had two racing seasons each year. The "spring-summer meeting" usually started in late April and lasted until early July. The "fall meeting" started after Labor Day and ended in late October or early November. Races are held at Saratoga Race Course between these two seasons.
The fall season is called the Fall Championship meet. Many horses that win big awards later in the year get important victories in these races.
Belmont has hosted the Breeders' Cup championship several times. This big event was held here in 1990, 1995, 2001, and 2005.
Belmont's backyard is a popular spot for fans. They can watch horses get ready before a race. A large white pine tree stands in the middle of the paddock. This tree was there even before the track was built! In 2006, it was 180 years old.
Belmont Track Announcers
Belmont Park has hosted many big races shown on TV. Because of this, its track announcers are very well known. Some famous race callers who worked at Belmont include:
- Fred Capossela (1940-1971)
- Dave Johnson (1972-1977) - He was the announcer when Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes in 1973.
- Chic Anderson (1977-1979) - He famously described Secretariat as "moving like a tremendous machine" on TV.
- Marshall Cassidy (1979-1990)
- Tom Durkin (1990-2014)
- Larry Collmus (2014-2020)
- John Imbriale (2020-2023)
In Popular Culture
Belmont Park has appeared in movies, TV shows, and music.
Movies
Scenes for the Woody Allen movies Mighty Aphrodite (1995) and Melinda and Melinda (2004) were filmed at Belmont Park. A scene for the movie Gloria (1999) was also shot here.
Scenes for the movie St. Vincent (2014) starring Bill Murray were filmed at Belmont Park.
Music
Belmont has hosted some concerts. These include Natalie Cole (1979), Blondie (1979), and the Goo Goo Dolls (2015).
Television
An episode of the TV show The Odd Couple in 1975 was partly filmed at Belmont Park.
In 2004, Belmont Park was featured in an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond. The episode was called "Boys' Therapy." In it, Frank, Robert, and Ray bet on a horse named "Marie's Mouth."
In 2015, Belmont Park was featured in the final episode of The Amazing Race 27.
