They’re off and running at the new Belmont Park, as horse racing returned Friday following a three-year absence for a $550 million reconstruction project that modernized the historic track.
asserted
that → ’re → track
Fans in the estimated sellout crowd of 6,000 cheered before a field of 10 left the starting gate just after 1:30 p.m. at the home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown.
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field → estimate → Crown
Lisa Joy, a filly ridden by jockey Antonio Fresu, won the first race there since July 9, 2023.
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Joy → ride → July
“It’s an amazing feeling to be part of this historical track and historical reopening of Belmont Park,” Fresu said afterward.
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Fresu → ’ → Park
“They seem to be doing a tremendous job.
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They → seem → job
The grandstand looks fantastic, all the facilities, so I’m really, really happy to be part of it.”
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I → look → it
The new facility is futuristic and white, a departure from the massive brick grandstand that occupied the space from 1968 until its demolition.
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that → occupy → demolition
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul before a ribbon- cutting ceremony in the expanded paddock area called it a start of a whole new era of racing in a state that has Belmont Park on the border of Queens and Long Island to go with venerable Saratoga Race Course upstate.
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that → cut → Course
“With the new Belmont Park, New York enters into a league of its own,” Hochul said.
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Hochul → enter → own
“Other states may think they have iconic racing venues, but no state has two.
uncertain
state → think → two
For now, the first two floors are open to the public while work is completed on the third, fourth and fifth in time for the spring.
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work → complete → spring
They are expected to be ready for the Wood Memorial, a key prep race for the Kentucky Derby that takes place in early April.
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that → expect → April
The Belmont Stakes returns June 5 after a three-year run at Saratoga.
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Stakes → return → Saratoga
The Breeders’ Cup is back next fall, with the sport’s world championship weekend taking place in New York for the first time since 2005.
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weekend → take → 2005
“If you build it, we will come,” Dora Delgado, the Breeders’ Cup executive vice president and chief racing officer Dora Delgado, told The Associated Press.
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Delgado → build → Press
“We knew they had the capability.
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they → know → capability
They knew what we needed from a facility, so it was just perfect.
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it → know → facility
We trusted the process.”
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We → trust → process
Delgado likened the new Belmont Park to Ascot Racecourse in England and what Arlington Park outside Chicago used to look like before closing in 2021.
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Park → liken → 2021
“It’s state of the art,” Delgado said.
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Delgado → ’ → art
“They have created something here that’s just astonishing, and it’s a first for New York racing to have this kind of facility.”
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it → create → facility
Fresu called the track one of the best turf courses he had ever ridden on.
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he → call → courses
Hall of Fame Trainer Shug McGaughey, who won Races 1 and 2, made sure he got in the winner’s circle photo after the first because it was a piece of history.
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it → win → history
“It’s a beautiful place,” McGaughey said.
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McGaughey → ’ → ?
“It’s different than what I expected. ...
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I → ’ → what
It’s a lot more modern than old Belmont.”
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It → ’ → Belmont
Country artist Dierks Bentley is performing as part of the celebration.
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Bentley → perform → celebration
The headline race is the Grade 1, $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, which features Forever Young from Japan, considered one of the best horses in the world.
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which → feature → world
The Aporia
