This coming weekend marks a historic milestone for horse racing, with Belmont Park celebrating its grand reopening on Friday, Sept. 18, following a comprehensive five-year renovation effort. The legendary racing venue in Long Island, N.Y., boasts a completely redesigned main facility featuring updated grandstands, clubhouse facilities, and box seats, alongside a modernized paddock area and a brand-new synthetic surface designed for winter racing.
Highlighting the opening weekend festivities at Belmont is the prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes on Friday, starring the sensational Japanese competitor Forever Young. Nationwide audiences can watch live coverage of the Jockey Club Gold Cup and accompanying races on FOX as part of NYRA’s “America’s Day at the Races” broadcast, scheduled on FOX Sports across Friday, Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20. Please refer to the timetable below for network listings and broadcast times.
Pennsylvania will also be a major hub of racing action this weekend, starting Friday with the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes at Presque Isle Downs, followed by a blockbuster Saturday card at Parx Racing featuring eight stakes, led by the prestigious $1 million Pennsylvania Derby and the $1 million Cotillion Stakes. Fans can catch live coverage of the action from Parx and Presque Isle on FanDuel TV, which will additionally broadcast races throughout the week and weekend from other major venues like Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park, Woodbine, and Laurel Park.
For global racing coverage, fans can subscribe to the Racetrack Television Network (RTN), offering live streams accessible on multiple platforms (including desktops, tablets, and mobile devices) as well as televisions through Roku, Amazon Fire, and DISH Network.
To keep fans informed, America’s Best Racing is hosting two special live broadcasts this week covering these major events. Kick off your week with ABR’s “Pennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!” airing on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. ET. Hosted by the trio of Ashley Wood, Alexa Zepp, and Jessica Paquette this program will deliver a detailed preview and betting insights for both the Pennsylvania Derby and Friday’s Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association, the “Pennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!” can be watched live on ABR’s Facebook, X, and YouTube feeds.
Following that, ABR will broadcast live from Belmont Park on Friday for the “Belmont Park Opening Day Livestream,” showcasing the track’s first races and capturing the vibrant atmosphere of this historic venue’s new chapter. This on-track broadcast features hosts John Franklin, Alexa Zepp, Matthew DeSantis, and Kaylie Shapiro, and is proudly sponsored by NYRA Bets along with Blue Note Bourbon. The “Belmont Park Opening Day Livestream” begins at 3 p.m. ET, streaming directly on ABR’s Facebook, X, and YouTube platforms.
Below is the complete schedule for television, digital streaming, and radio broadcasts for this packed week of horse racing:
Stakes Racing Timetable
|
Event |
Date |
Post Time |
Broadcast Channel(s) |
|
Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes |
Sept. 18 |
4:14 p.m. |
|
|
Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes |
Sept. 18 |
8:36 p.m. |
|
|
Gallant Bob Stakes |
Sept. 19 |
4:03 p.m. |
|
|
Cotillion Stakes |
Sept. 19 |
4:58 p.m. |
|
|
Pennsylvania Derby |
Sept. 19 |
5:48 p.m. |
|
|
Durham Cup Stakes |
Sept. 19 |
TBA |
|
|
Dogwood Stakes Presented by Resolute Racing |
Sept. 19 |
9:39 p.m. |
Please note: All times are shown in Eastern Time
Television & Online Broadcast Schedule
|
Date |
Program |
Time |
Network/Website/Social Media |
|
Sept. 16 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 16 |
“Pennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!” |
7 p.m. |
|
|
Sept. 16 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 17 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 17 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 18 |
“America’s Day at the Races” featuring Belmont Park’s reopening and the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes |
1 p.m.-3 p.m. on FS2, 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m. on FOX, 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m. on FS2, 6 p.m.-7 p.m. on FS1 |
|
|
Sept. 18 |
“Daily Racing Form Weekend Preview” |
2:30 p.m. |
|
|
Sept. 18 |
“Belmont Park Opening Day Livestream” |
3 p.m. |
|
|
Sept. 18 |
Live horse racing coverage highlighted by the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 18 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 19 |
“America’s Day at the Races” |
12 p.m.-6 p.m. |
|
|
Sept. 19 |
Live horse racing coverage featuring the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 19 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 20 |
“America’s Day at the Races” |
1 p.m.-6 p.m. |
|
|
Sept. 20 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
|
|
Sept. 20 |
Live Thoroughbred racing broadcasts |
post time varies |
Please note: All times are shown in Eastern Time
Radio Broadcast Schedule
| Date | Program | Time | Network |
| Sept. 16 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
| Sept. 17 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
| Sept. 17 | 1/ST BET Racing Show | 4 p.m. | HRRN |
| Sept. 17 | Brisnet Call-In Show | 6 p.m. | HRRN |
| Sept. 18 | At The Races with Steve Byk | 9 a.m. | Thoroughbred Radio Network |
| Sept. 18 | Betting with Bobby | 4 p.m. | HRRN |
| Sept. 18 | Trainer Talk Presented by Fasig-Tipton | 5 p.m. | HRRN |
| Sept. 18 | Keeneland Select Weekend Stakes Preview | 6 p.m. | HRRN |
| Sept. 18 | Inside Churchill Downs | 6 p.m. | ESPN 680/105.7 |
| Sept. 19 | Equine Forum Presented by TwinSpires | 8 a.m. | HRRN |
| Sept. 19 | Off to the Races Radio | 10 a.m. | ESPN Richmond |
| Sept. 19 | Down the Stretch | 10 a.m. | Siriux XM |
Please note: All times are shown in Eastern Time
