Opening Day at Belmont Park

Spring was definitely in the air as Belmont Park, which held its first meet in 1905, opened its historic iron gates this afternoon!

NYRA Officially Opens Belmont Park with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

NYRA President and CEO, Charles E. Hayward, was pleased to host our Belmont Park Community Leaders and Local Officials on April 29th, Opening Day. NYRA named a race Saluting the Belmont Park Community Leaders and everyone enjoyed a day of exciting Thoroughbred racing at beautiful Belmont Park!

NYRA Acknowledges Queens Community Partners and Local Leaders on Wood Memorial Day

Wood Memorial Day at the Big A (April 9) was FANTASTIC as over 12,000 fans joined us on a beautiful afternoon for an exciting day of racing! NYRA was proud to acknowledge the Queens Community Leaders as well as its long standing relationship with Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and St. Mary's Healthcare System for Children.

Jeremy's Walk to benefit disabled jockeys, Anna House

On June 12, 2011, Jeremy Edge will begin a 190-mile walk from Belmont Park to Saratoga Racecourse. This walk is just one of many ways Jeremy wants to give back to horse racing, and his hope is that it will raise both awareness and funding for the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (PDJF) and for Anna House, the early childhood education center that benefits the children of the backstretch workers at Belmont Park, sustained by the Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA).

Please click here to download the donation form.

Donations can also be made at www.pdjf.org or www.belmontchildcare.org

Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration on June 9 to Benefit Equine Research, Backstretch Community

The Belmont Stakes is one of those quintessential New York events so it’s only fitting that the Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration will be held this year at one of New York City’s landmark buildings: The New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42^nd Street.

The library site was once a Revolutionary War battlefield and later the home of the Croton Reservoir. The building, with its iconic and world-renowned lion sculptures on its front steps, opened on May 23, 1911.

The fund-raising event, hosted by the New York Racing Association and The Jockey Club, will be held Thursday, June 9, in the Astor Hall section of the library. Tickets are $150 and proceeds benefit Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the Backstretch Employee Services Team.

The celebration will be catered by renowned restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events and will include hors d’oeuvres, food stations, and a full bar in a cocktail party setting.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Spank, the popular New York City-based a cappella doo-wop quartet that performs songs of the great R&B vocal groups.

The 143^rd running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes will be Saturday, June 11, and will be televised by NBC Sports.

“The charity celebration is always one of the highlights of Belmont Stakes week,” said NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward. “We are excited to team with The Jockey Club to host this terrific event and help raise money for horses and the dedicated backstretch workers who care for them.”

“The Jockey Club is proud to partner with NYRA on such a worthwhile event,” said The Jockey Club President and Chief Operating Officer James L. Gagliano. “The Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration builds awareness of the third leg of the Triple Crown as well as two important charities that serve our sport.”

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation’s leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. In 2011, the foundation is allocating $841,023 for 17 research projects that address a broad spectrum of issues, including piroplasmosis, laminitis and laryngeal neuropathy (roaring). Since 1983, the foundation has provided $18 million for 279 specific projects at 40 universities. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

The Backstretch Employee Services Team (B.E.S.T.) provides a full range of health and human services to support the workers in the Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratoga barn areas, helping them to lead healthy and full lives. Primary, preventive and urgent health care services are provided free of charge at a year-round clinic at Belmont and seasonal clinic at Saratoga. B.E.S.T. also provides assistance, advice and training on financial, vocational, educational and legal matters. Additional information about B.E.S.T. is available at bestbackstretch.com.

Additional information about the Belmont Bash is available by contacting Nancy Kelly at (212) 521-5305 or nkelly@jockeyclub.com.

St. Mary's Jockey and Horseman's Ball - Join us in honoring Ramon Dominguez!

Sunday, May 11, 2011 at Belmont Park
For more information, contact Angela Sculti at 718-281-8817 or email asculti@stmaryskids.org


Please click on the invitation below to view larger.

Come out and Support the 7th Annual Walk for St. Mary’s Kids & Family Fun Day at Belmont Park on Sunday, May 22, 2011

Walk for St. Mary's Kids & Family Fun Day
Sunday, May 22, 2011 - Belmont Park, Elmont, NY

Join staff, patients, friends, and family at the 7th Annual Walk for St. Mary’s Kids & Family Fun Day on Sunday, May 22, 2011 at Belmont Park, in Elmont, NY, to help raise funds and awareness for children and families with special needs.

This year will be more fun than ever as we walk for our kids and enjoy all the fun!

Join St. Mary’s kids, our Grand Marshals, and Team Jillidog as they lead the 1/2 mile and 2.5K mile walk around the beautiful Belmont Park.

Visit the NY AutoFest Car show at the St. Mary’s event site featuring hot rods, classics, customs and rarely seen vehicles on display. This is a car lover’s dream!! Meet and greet Jillidog, the World’s only poker-playing dog as featured on Animal Planet. Owner, Rick Caran and Jillidog will present mini shows and training tips.

Don’t miss out on the Family Fun Day activities featuring live music, arts & crafts, face painting, games, NY Masonic Safety ID Program, and lots of surprises for the entire family.

Belmont Park will also be hosting “Pirate Day” featuring pirate-themed inflatables, henna tattoo artists, pony rides, a petting zoo and much more!

Today, 1 in 5 children has a special need. In New York State alone that’s nearly 800,000 children. Over 4,000 children and their families in the New York Metropolitan region and beyond come to St. Mary’s to receive care, learn to manage their illness or injury, and achieve independence and confidence.

While some walk to celebrate the accomplishments of St. Mary’s kids, and others walk in memory of a loved one; everyone walks to support the mission of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children- to improve the health and quality of life for St. Mary’s children and their families.

Help make a difference for St. Mary’s kids and join walkers at Belmont Park on Sunday, May 22nd. Your support really counts!!

To become a sponsor, participate, form a walk team, and learn more, please contact Angela Sculti at 718-281-8817 or asculti@stmaryskids.org .

Register for the Walk for St. Mary’s Kids

Do it for the fun! Do it for the Kids! Register Today!

Parking & Registration are Free