On-track wagering increases for 140th Belmont

Stunning a crowd of 94,476 under sunny skies on a sweltering day at Belmont

Park, DA' TARA (Tiznow) went right to the front and improved his position, going

wire-to-wire in the 140th running of the Belmont S. (G1), preventing Big Brown

(Boundary) from becoming the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 and the 12th

in history.

The Belmont Stakes highlighted a 13-race card that included five other graded

stakes, including the Just a Game S. (G1), Acorn S. (G1) and Manhattan H. (G1).

On-track wagering on Belmont Stakes day races totaled $13,233,071 for the

13-race presentation, a 49.6 percent increase over $8,843,720 in 2007. An

additional $507,776 was wagered on track on incoming simulcasts, making the

total on-track handle $13,740,847, a 43.4 percent increase over $9,580,465 in

2007.

While Saturday's total on-track handle of $13,740,847 fell short of the

record Belmont Stakes Day on-track handle of $14,461,402 in 2004 when Birdstone

beat Smarty Jones to end his bid for the Triple Crown, it was the second highest

on-track handle in the history of the Belmont Stakes.

Total all-sources handle, which includes money bet on Belmont Stakes Day

races from simulcast outlets, was $99,858,202, a 32 percent increase over

$75,657,986 in 2007.

Saturday's all-sources handle of $99,850,202 fell short of the record Belmont

Stakes Day all-sources handle of $114,968,346 in 2004.

Total betting interests for Belmont Stakes Day totaled 116, compared to 106

in 2007 and 123 in 2004.

"Today was a spectacular day of racing at Belmont Park," said Charles E.

Hayward, president and CEO of the New York Racing Association. "The outcome of

the Belmont Stakes proves once again just how difficult it is to win the elusive

Triple Crown."