The 2023 Belmont Stakes is at risk of being cancelled due to the poor air quality around New York.
The Canadian wildfires have led to smoke affecting air quality in the nearby area as well as across New York State. The heavy smoke has already affected other major sports including Major League Baseball and the NFL.
The four-day racing event was due to begin at Belmont Park on Thursday. However, racing was cancelled due to the poor air quality in and around Elmont, New York, on Long Island as well as all four New York City boroughs including Manhattan and the Bronx.
It was initially announced that morning training had been cancelled at both Belmont and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, due to the poor air quality caused by the smoke. The New York Racing Authority (NYRA) expected the conditions to worsen as the day went on, which led to the cancellation of a possible evening race schedule.
“Based on current forecast models and consultation with our external weather services, we remain optimistic that we will see an improvement in air quality on Friday,” NYRA President and CEO David O’Rourke said in press release.
Saturday is due to see the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, take place, but there is still doubt that the event will take place. New York Governor Kathy Hochul warned the event could be called off if the air quality index exceeds 200 on its scale, which would be classed as “very unhealthy” on the IQ Air Rating Quality Index .
“People come from all over the country,” Hochul said. “It’s huge for the local economy. And so we … hopefully can get this going, but there’s no assurance of what the weather’s going to be. So it’s going to be a last-minute decision, I’m sure.”
Despite this, NYRA's vice president of communications Pat McKenna remains hopeful the Belmont Stakes will go ahead as planned.
“This guidance was arrived at in consultation with the New York Racing Association and is grounded in our shared efforts to provide the safest possible environment for training and racing thoroughbred horses throughout New York State," McKenna said in a statement provided to Daily Express US Sport .
“NYRA will continue to closely monitor air quality in and around Belmont Park in the coming days, and we remain optimistic that conditions will allow for the resumption of training and racing on Friday.”
It was also confirmed by the NYRA that Thursday’s co-featured Grade 2 Wonder Again ($200,000) and Jersey Girl ($150,000) will be rescheduled for Sunday at Belmont Park. As a result, the races will be added as extras to the card and re-drawn later on Thursday.
