Cigar Mile Day anchors Aqueduct fall; G3 Long Island sees purse Doubled

Posted On 30 Aug 2018

NYRA RELEASE —-

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The 38-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack will feature 12 graded stakes, highlighted by the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap. The meet, which starts Friday, November 2 and closes on New Year’s Eve, will offer 35 total stakes worth $5.925 million.

Opening weekend will coincide with the Breeders’ Cup, set for November 2-3, allowing horseplayers to follow the exciting action from Churchill Downs. Fans can watch and wager at Aqueduct, with live racing on Opening Day at the Big A featuring the Grade 3, $150,000 Tempted.

The stakes action continues on Breeders’ Cup weekend with Aqueduct hosting the Grade 3, $150,000 Turnback the Alarm Handicap on November 3. The Grade 3, $200,000 Nashua for 2-year-olds on November 4 will follow on that Sunday.

The Grade 3, $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap for sprinters 3-and-up will return as the traditional Thanksgiving Day centerpiece on November 22, with the $150,000 Winter Memories and the $100,000 Central Park also on the holiday card. Black Friday will feature four stakes, among them the Grade 3, $200,000 Comely.

This year, the Grade 3 Long Island on November 24 will see its purse double to $400,000, part of an overall purse increase of $600,000 for all stakes at the Aqueduct fall meet compared to 2017.

Aqueduct’s fall meet will be anchored by the Cigar Mile for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday, December 1.

December 1 will also feature a pair of prestigious Grade 2 events for juveniles, the $250,000 Remsen and the $250,000 Demoiselle for fillies, both at 1 1/8 miles, as well as the Grade 3, $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap for fillies and mares at a mile.

Following the Christmas holiday, racing will return on Friday, December 28 and the stakes schedule will conclude on Monday, December 31, with the $100,000 Damon Runyon.

2018 Aqueduct Fall Meet stakes schedule:DATE RACE GRADE 2018 PURSE AGE DISTANCE

Fri., Nov. 2
Tempted
III
150,000
F2YO
1 Mile
Sat., Nov. 3
Turnback the Alarm Hdcp.
III
150,000
F&M 3&UP
1 1/8
Sun., Nov. 4
Nashua
III
200,000
2YO
1 Mile
Sat., Nov. 10
Artie Schiller

150,000
3&UP
1 Mile (Turf)
Sat., Nov. 10
Atlantic Beach

100,000
2YO
6 F (Turf)
Sun., Nov. 11
NYSS Staten Island

125,000
F&M 3&UP
7 Furlongs
Sun., Nov. 11
Stewart Manor

100,000
F2YO
6 F (Turf)
Sat., Nov. 17
Red Smith
III
200,000
3&UP
1 3/8 (Turf)
Sun., Nov. 18
NYSS Thunder Rumble

125,000
3&UP
7 Furlongs
Thurs., Nov. 22
Fall Highweight Handicap
III
200,000
3&UP
6 Furlongs
Thurs., Nov. 22
Winter Memories

150,000
F3YO
1 1/16 (Turf)
Thurs., Nov. 22
Central Park

100,000
2YO
1 1/16 (Turf)
Fri., Nov. 23
Comely
III
200,000
F3YO
1 1/8
Fri., Nov. 23
Gio Ponti

150,000
3YO
1 1/16 (Turf)
Fri., Nov. 23
Forever Together

150,000
F&M 3&UP
1 1/16 (Turf)
Fri., Nov. 23
Key Cents (NYB)

100,000
F2YO
6 Furlongs
Sat., Nov. 24
Long Island
III
400,000
F&M 3&UP
1 3/8 (Turf)
Sat., Nov. 24
Discovery
III
200,000
3YO
1 1/8
Sat., Nov. 24
Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship

125,000
3&UP
6 F (Turf)
Sun., Nov. 25
Autumn Days

125,000
F&M 3&UP
6 F (Turf)
Sun., Nov. 25
Tepin

100,000
F2YO
1 1/16 (Turf)
Sun., Nov. 25
Notebook (NYB)

100,000
2YO
6 Furlongs
Sat., Dec. 1
Cigar Mile Handicap
I
750,000
3&UP
1 Mile
Sat., Dec. 1
Remsen
II
250,000
2YO
1 1/8
Sat., Dec. 1
Demoiselle
II
250,000
F2YO
1 1/8
Sat., Dec. 1
Go For Wand Handicap
III
250,000
F&M 3&UP
1 Mile
Aqueduct Winter Meet