Belmont Park stakes receive substantial increases

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Saratoga Springs, NY (Sports Network) - The Jockey Club Gold Cup will have a purse of $1 million when it takes place this year at Belmont Park. The 1 1/4 mile race along with all the stakes races during Belmont and Aqueduct's fall meets will have increased purses.

Set for Saturday, Sept. 29, the Jockey Club Gold Cup gets an additional $250,000 over its 2011 purse of $750,000. The historic race had previously been worth $1 million from 1996 to 2005, but the purse was reduced for the last six editions. The Gold Cup is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race giving the winner an automatic starting position in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

Highlighting the Aqueduct stakes schedule will be the Cigar Mile on Saturday, Nov. 24. The race for older horses will gain $100,000 over last year's purse of $250,000.

The Belmont Park fall meeting will run from Sept. 8 through Oct. 28 with 37 programs. Aqueduct will have 39 race days from Nov. 2 until Dec. 31.