Group Pushes For Belmont Modernization To Bring Breeders' Cup Back

ELMONT, NY — There is a push to bring the Breeders' Cup back to Belmont Park. The last time Belmont hosted thoroughbred racing's biggest day was in 2005.

The group We Are NY Horse Racing said the state has received a commitment for the Breeders' Cup to return to Elmont if the racetrack is modernized.

"New York is the ultimate global stage, and the new Belmont Park will be an ideal location to regularly host the Breeders’ Cup,” said NYRA [New York Racing Association] President & CEO Dave O’Rourke. "The Breeders’ Cup is one of the great events in sports, and as we all saw over the weekend, the enthusiasm and energy around the Breeders’ Cup continues to grow. We thank our friends at the Breeders’ Cup for recognizing the opportunities that lie ahead here in New York and look forward to advancing this transformational project in the coming months."

The Breeders' Cup is a two-day spectacle that attracts worldwide attention as an end-of-year championship.

Plus, it would create an economic boon, with an estimated $100 million each time the event comes to New York.

A group called Breeders' Cup Limited is leading the charge out of the gate by acknowledging that Belmont's aging infrastructure needs to be addressed first.

As they wrote in a letter to the NYRA, "To paraphrase one of our favorite movies, 'If you build it, we will come.'"