Belmont Park’s fall championship meet will run for 36 days, from September 7 through October 28, and includes 44 stakes worth more than $10 million.
The meet will feature 18 graded contests, six of which are qualifiers for the November 2-3 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs and will be held over two weekends.
The September 29 program includes a trio “Win & You’re In” contests, the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic and $350,000 Vosburgh Stakes. The three Grade 1 events offer up automatic, all-fees paid berths to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), respectively.
The following weekend of October 6-7 will showcase four Breeders’ Cup qualifiers. The $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1), which awards a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), will be joined on October 6 by the $400,000 Beldame Stakes (G1), $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes (G2) and $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational.
One day later on October 7, the $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G1) and $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) will bestow berths in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), respectively. On the same day, and for the first time, the $150,000 Futurity Stakes will reward the winner with a trip to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Two other graded contests takes place on October 8 – the $200,000 Knickerbocker Stakes (G2) and $150,000 Matron Stakes (G3).
Also of note during Belmont’s fall championship meet are the $300,000 Sands Point Stakes (G2) on September 15 and the $300,000 Kelso Handicap (G2) on September 22.
2018 Belmont Fall Championship Meet stakes schedule
| DATE | RACE | GRADE | 2018 PURSE | AGE | DISTANCE |
| Fri., Sept. 7 | Christiecat | 100,000 | F3YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sat., Sept. 8 | Allied Forces | 100,000 | 3YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Sept. 9 | Royal Delta | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 | |
| Sat., Sept. 15 | Sands Point | II | 400,000 | F3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Wed., Sept 19 | Joseph A. Gimma (NYB) | 150,000 | F2YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Fri., Sept. 21 | Bertram F. Bongard (NYB) | 150,000 | 2YO | 7 Furlongs | |
| Sat., Sept. 22 | Kelso (Hdcp.) | II | 300,000 | 3&UP | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Sept. 22 | Noble Damsel | III | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 Mile (Turf) |
| Sun., Sept. 23 | Gallant Bloom (Hdcp.) | II | 300,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs |
| Sun., Sept. 23 | Ashley T. Cole (NYB) | 125,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) | |
| Sun., Sept. 23 | John Hettinger (NYB) | 125,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Jockey Club Gold Cup (BC) | I | 750,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/4 |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (BC) | I | 500,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Vosburgh (BC) | I | 350,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs |
| Sat., Sept. 29 | Pilgrim | III | 200,000 | 2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sun., Sept. 30 | Temperence Hill Invitational | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 5/8 | |
| Sun., Sept. 30 | Miss Grillo | III | 200,000 | F2YO | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Hill Prince | II | 500,000 | 3YO | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Champagne (BC) | I | 500,000 | 2YO | 1 Mile |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Beldame | I | 400,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/8 |
| Sat., Oct. 6 | Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational | 150,000 | 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 7 | Flower Bowl (BC) | I | 500,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/4 (Turf) |
| Sun., Oct. 7 | Frizette (BC) | I | 400,000 | F2YO | 1 Mile |
| Sun.,Oct. 7 | Futurity (BC) | 150,000 | 2YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Mon., Oct. 8 | Knickerbocker | II | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 (Turf) |
| Mon., Oct. 8 | Matron | III | 150,000 | F 2YO | 6 Furlongs (Turf) |
| Sat.,Oct. 13 | Pebbles | 200,000 | F3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 13 | Floral Park | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 Furlongs (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 14 | Point of Entry | 100,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Empire Classic (NYB) | 300,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/8 | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Empire Distaff (NYB) | 250,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Sleepy Hollow (NYB) | 250,000 | 2YO | 1 Mile | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Maid of the Mist (NYB) | 250,000 | F2YO | 1 Mile | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Mohawk (NYB) | 200,000 | 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Ticonderoga (NYB) | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Iroquois (NYB) | 150,000 | F&M 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Sat., Oct. 20 | Hudson (NYB) | 150,000 | 3&UP | 6 1/2 Furlongs | |
| Sun., Oct. 21 | Athenia | III | 200,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/16 (Turf) |
| Sat., Oct. 27 | Bold Ruler (Hdcp) | III | 200,000 | 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
| Sat., Oct. 27 | English Channel | 100,000 | 3YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sat., Oct. 27 | Awad | 100,000 | 2YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 28 | Zagora | 125,000 | F&M 3&UP | 1 1/2 (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 28 | Chelsey Flower | 100,000 | F 2YO | 1 Mile (Turf) | |
| Sun., Oct. 28 | Pumpkin Pie | 100,000 | F&M 3&UP | 7 Furlongs |
