Visitors to Belmont Park will notice a new blue-and-white-striped pole, a bit less than a sixteenth of a mile from the finish line, that was erected Wednesday in honor of the 40th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown.
The pole, taken from Clare Court at Saratoga, marks the 31-length margin of Secretariat’s victory in the Belmont Stakes. Credit track announcer Tom Durkin with the idea.
* NYRA will offer a $1 million guaranteed pick 6 and a $1 million all-graded-stakes pick 4 on tomorrow’s 13-race card, both anchored by the 145th Belmont Stakes at 6:36 p.m.
The sixth race, 2:34 p.m. the Easy Goer Stakes, kicks off the pick 6, with the Grade 2, $400,000 True North Handicap as the second leg. They are followed by the Grade 1, $500,000 Just a Game, the Grade 2, $400,000 Woody Stephens, the Grade 1, $500,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap and the Belmont Stakes, which concludes the pick 4 and pick 6.
* The LIRR will offer added service to Belmont Park tomorrow, with 18 trains running from Penn Station from 9:42 a.m.-4:34 p.m. Trains will return from 4:16-9 p.m., running every 15 minutes from 6:27. Round trip costs $14.
* In keeping with security measures enacted this year for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, NYRA has instituted new policies and procedures for tomorrow’s Belmont Stakes.
Everyone entering Belmont Park will be subject to electronic wand searches at admission gates and other entrances. Banned items include coolers, umbrellas, thermoses, back packs, briefcases, cameras with detachable lenses, duffle bags and purses larger that 12 inches in diameter.