Changes Coming for Derby Preps on Belmont Park's Tapeta

The New York Racing Association announced Oct. 7 the stakes schedule for the 2026-27 winter meet at Belmont Park, which will include 28 stakes races worth nearly $5.7 million in total purses. The 2026-27 winter meet will open Dec. 10 and continue into March with a definitive end date to be announced prior to the 2027 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) and in conjunction with NYRA's 2027 race dates. The 1-mile Tapeta oval will be used as the exclusive surface for winter racing at the new Belmont Park, while providing a year-round training option for horses stabled on the property. The change to Tapeta has led to distance changes for several key races of the meet, including the Withers Stakes and Gotham Stakes (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1), as well as the Suburban Stakes (G2) which moves to the winter schedule from its traditional summer spot. The Jerome Stakes, which was first held in 1866 and has served as part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby since 2014, was not scheduled as part of the winter meet. Stakes action kicks off Dec. 19 with a pair of 6-furlong $150,000 events in the Say Florida Sandy Stakes for New York-breds and the Broadway Stakes for state-bred fillies and mares. Both races for 3-year-olds and up were previously run at 7 furlongs. The following Saturday, Dec. 26, offers the 1 3/16-mile $250,000 Red Smith Stakes (G2), shortened from 1 3/8 miles and moved from the turf to the Tapeta; and four opening legs of the Empire Trillium Series, a 14-race program of stakes races at Belmont Park and Woodbine restricted to horses foaled in New York or Canada and worth $3.2 million in total purses. The quartet of $200,000 Empire Trillium events includes the 6-furlong Tiz the Law Stakes for juveniles and Bar of Gold Stakes for juvenile fillies, as well as the 1 1/16-mile Gander Stakes for juveniles and Saratoga Dew Stakes for juvenile fillies. The first local stakes of 2027 is the 1 1/16-mile $150,000 Ladies Stakes for older fillies and mares Jan. 1. Jan. 16 features four stakes, including the now 5 1/2-furlong listed $175,000 Toboggan Stakes (previously 7 furlongs on dirt) for older horses and the Interborough Stakes for older fillies and mares at the same distance. That Saturday card is headlined by the 1 1/16-mile listed $175,000 Withers Stakes for sophomores and the $150,000 Busanda Stakes for sophomore fillies at the same distance, awarding 20-10-6-4-2 points toward the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively. The Withers was previously 1 1/8 miles, while the Busanda was 1 mile last year and 1 1/8 miles 2018-25. Jan. 23 offers a pair of 1 1/8-mile, $300,000 legs of the Empire Trillium Series for 3-year-olds in the Long Island Derby and Long Island Oaks for fillies. The card also includes the state-bred $150,000 Alex Robb Stakes for older horses and Bay Ridge Stakes for older females, both increased by a sixteenth to 1 1/16 miles, as well as the 5 1/2-furlong $150,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Thunder Rumble division for state-sired sophomores and NYSSS Staten Island division for state-sired sophomore fillies at the same distance. In 2026, the Thunder Rumble and Staten Island will be run Nov. 22 at 7 furlongs on dirt for 3-year-olds and up. A blockbuster program Feb. 20 is headlined by the $500,000 Suburban Stakes at 1 1/8 miles for older horses. The race was previously contested at 1 1/4 miles on dirt during the summer. Among six stakes on the card are the Gotham Stakes, a 50-25-15-10-5 point event for the Kentucky Derby, with its purse increased from $300,000 to $400,000 and its distance increased from 1 mile to 1 1/8 miles. The card is supported by the $200,000 Tom Fool Stakes (G3) for older horses at 6 furlongs, as well as the listed $175,000 Top Flight Stakes at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 Correction Stakes at 6 furlongs, both for older females. The same program's listed $175,000 Busher Stakes offers 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks points and is extended from 1 mile to 1 1/16 miles. The following Saturday, Feb. 27, brings a pair of 6-furlong $200,000 Empire Trillium events: the Elmont Stakes for sophomores and the Queens Village Stakes for sophomore fillies. The stakes schedule concludes with a pair of 6-furlong, $150,000 stakes for 3-year-olds, including the Ruthless Stakes for sophomore fillies March 13 and the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes March 14. For the complete stakes schedule, please visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/stakes-schedule/.