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The betting and sports world received a tremendous boost with news Tuesday that the Belmont Stakes will be raced June 20 at a shorter distance and without fans.
This year's Belmont Stakes will front the Triple Crown as both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes are being pushed back to the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"With the Belmont Stakes going first and taking place in hard hit New York, this race is likely to shatter all records," a confident Payton O'Brien of Gambling911.com stated, making reference to New York's status as Ground Zero for the pandemic in the US. "We can anticipate heavy wagering, perhaps nearing that of a typical Kentucky Derby."
For Gambling911.com, the Kentucky Derby is typically the most trafficked annual sporting event along with the Super Bowl. Marquee UFC fights have broken most traffic records but are considered one-time occurrences, not counting rematches.
TurfNSports' Michael Dempsey agreed with the notion that this year's Belmont Stakes race should draw massive viewership and wagering activity.
I am really liking June 20 for the Belmont Stakes. No other sports are going to be up and running by then. This can be a HUGE day for horse racing. 1 1/8 miles makes sense. Let's drink. pic.twitter.com/soamZJpMHL
— Michael Dempsey (@turfnsport) May 19, 2020
"The Belmont Stakes is a New York institution that will provide world-class entertainment for sports fans during these challenging times," NYRA president Dave O'Rourke said in a statement. "While this will certainly be a unique running of this historic race, we are grateful to be able to hold the Belmont Stakes in 2020. ... Fans across the country can look forward to a day of exceptional thoroughbred racing at a time when entertainment and sports are so important to providing a sense of normalcy."
The Belmont Stakes has been featured as the second race of the Triple Crown, but never the first.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
