The 136th Belmont Stakes isn’t the only major event being run at Belmont Park this week. Tomorrow, the “Big B” hosts its traditional Memorial Day feature, the Grade 1, $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap.
The 111th Met Mile boasts a solid field of nine older horses that includes such standouts as Funny Cide, Azeri and likely favorite Strong Hope.
Funny Cide, the New York-bred hero of last year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will be making his first start over his home track since finishing third in the Belmont Stakes.
“I’ve heard people say he’s not a Grade 1 horse anymore,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “But he’s run in eight of them, and he’s only been off the board in one, and that was the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”
The Hall-of-Fame-bound 6-year-old mare Azeri, Horse of the Year in 2002 and champion older female last year, has won 15-of-18 lifetime starts and was second in her three defeats.
Now trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who took over the duties from Laura De Seroux over the winter, Azeri has raced twice this year, winning the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn, then running second in the Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, beaten a head while giving the winner, Mayo On the Side, 11 pounds. The Met Mile will be her long-awaited first start against the boys.
“She’s won Grade 1’s against her own sex,” Lukas said. “We know we can do that. We’re trying to step out of the box, as they say, and do something extraordinary.”
Strong Hope, trained by Todd Pletcher, was one of last summer’s top 3-year-olds, rattling off five straight victories, including the Dwyer and Jim Dandy.
Given a long vacation after running third in the Travers, in two starts this season he won a sprint at Gulfstream Park by 93/4 lengths, then was a close second as the 4-5 choice in the Big A’s Carter Handicap.
Smarty way to get to Belmont
The MTA will operate 15 LIRR trains from Penn Station to Belmont, via Woodside and Jamaica, between 9:59 a.m. and 2:59 p.m. on Belmont Stakes day.
PRICES
Round trip from Woodside $10
Round trip from Jamaica $7.50
One way from Penn Station or Woodside $5.50
One way from Jamaica $4.50.
Customers utilizing train service will receive a $1 discount on the $2 grandstand admission fee at Belmont. Belmont package tickets can be bought at ticket windows or ticket machines, but will not be available on the train.
LEAVES PENN STATION STOPS AT WOODSIDE STOPS AT JAMAICA ARRIVES BELMONT
9:59 a.m 10:10 10:21 10:33 a.m.
10:09 a.m. 10:20 10:32 10:46 a.m.
10:29 a.m. 10:40 10:51 11:06 a.m.
10:51 a.m. 11:02 11:16 11:30 a.m.
11:01 a.m. 11:12 11:25 11:38 a.m.
11:17 a.m 11:28 11:40 11:54 a.m.
11:33 a.m. 11:44 11:56 12:10 p.m.
11:43 a.m. 11:54 12:05 12:18 p.m.
12:01 p.m. 12:12 12:23 12:35 p.m.
12:17 p.m. 12:28 12:39 12:53 a.m.
12:27 p.m. 12:38 12:49 1 p.m.
12:59 p.m. 1:10 1:21 1:32 p.m.
1:19 p.m. 1:30 1:42 1:54 p.m.
2:25 p.m. 2:36 2:47 2:58 p.m.
2:59 p.m. 3:10 3:22 3:33 p.m.