The scene at the Belmont Stakes is a return to normalcy even if it isn’t quite the crowd of 100,000-plus that would attend if a Triple Crown were on the line. It’s more quiet than usual.
Mostly maskless fans had no trouble finding room to walk around the vast grandstand hours before the running of the $1.5 million, 1 1/2-mile race. While New York State removed the cap on attendance amid easing of pandemic restrictions, officials expected a crowd of roughly 10,000 for the big race day.
There was no walkup crowd possible because fans were required to pre-purchase tickets. A strong field of eight horses is set to run in the Belmont.
In the Belmont Stakes undercard on Saturday, Kentucky Oaks runner-up Search Results held off a late charge by Obligatory to capture the $500,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies.
With Javier Castellano filling in for the injury Irad Ortiz Jr., Search Results covered the mile in 1:35.5 in scoring by a half length. The Chad Brown-trained Search Results paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.10 in winning for the fourth time in five career starts.
Her only loss was in Kentucky by a neck to Malathaat, who has not raced since. Malathaat was a candidate to run in the Belmont Stakes against the colts before owners and trainer Todd Pletcher decided against undertaking that challenge.
Obligatory returned $4 and $3.10, while third-place finisher Make Mischief was $3.70 to show in the field of five.
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from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/3poGJcQ
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