Belmont Park to run winter meet entirely on Tapeta, with Gotham and Suburban moved to synthetic

Belmont Park’s 2026-27 winter meet will be run exclusively on the track’s Tapeta synthetic surface beginning Dec. 10, according to NYRA, a change that reshapes several prominent stakes on the New York calendar.

Among the races moving to Tapeta are the Red Smith, Suburban, Withers, and Gotham. For horseplayers, that means a notable winter shift in surface conditions for races that have traditionally been tied to turf or dirt.

Gotham, Withers among Derby preps affected

The Gotham Stakes will be run Feb. 20 at 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta, and its purse will increase to $400,000 from $300,000. The race will continue to offer 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points.

The Withers, another Derby prep, is scheduled for Jan. 16 at 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta. Its purse was reduced by $25,000 to $175,000, and it will offer 20 Derby qualifying points. NYRA had previously announced that the Jerome will not be carded in 2027.

NYRA also said the Wood Memorial will remain on dirt, although the Belmont spring schedule has not yet been announced.

Suburban and Red Smith get new winter conditions

Two established stakes also will be contested under different conditions during the winter meet.

The Red Smith is set for Dec. 26 at 1 3/16 miles on Tapeta, replacing its traditional turf setup. The Suburban will be run Feb. 20 at 1 1/8 miles on Tapeta instead of its traditional dirt format at 1 1/4 miles.

The Feb. 20 card is also slated to include the Grade 3 Tom Fool, the Busher, the Top Flight, and the Correction.

Winter meet includes 28 stakes worth $5.65 million

NYRA said the Belmont winter meet will feature 28 stakes worth a combined $5.65 million. While no end date has been set for the meet, the last scheduled winter stakes race is March 14.

Additional winter stakes dates announced include Jan. 23, when the Thunder Rumble and Staten Island divisions of the New York Stallion Series for 3-year-olds are scheduled for 5 1/2 furlongs.

For New York racing fans and bettors, the key near-term dates to watch are Dec. 10 for the start of the meet, Dec. 26 for the Red Smith, Jan. 16 for the Withers, and Feb. 20 for a major stakes card topped by the Gotham and Suburban.

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Source: As reported by news.google.com.