Belmont Stakes moving temporarily to Saratoga

HORSE RACING

The Belmont is heading to Saratoga for the first time – but almost certainly not the last.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that the 2024 Belmont Stakes will be run at Saratoga Race Course, with the third leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown shifting upstate from Long Island because of the massive renovation of Belmont Park.

The move has been expected for some time, since the New York Racing Association unveiled plans for the $455 million Belmont Park project. Construction is expected to last into 2025, so there’s a good chance of the Belmont at Saratoga two years in a row.

“This is likely a two-year endeavor,” NYRA president and CEO David O’Rourke said by phone. “We’re going to get it right, and we’re going to improve on it each year.”

Pending the approval of the North American Graded Stakes Committee, the Belmont will be run at a distance of 1 1/4 miles, shorter than the race’s traditional 11/2 miles because of the shape of the dirt track at Saratoga.

HOCKEY

NHL: The slumping Buffalo Sabres made a minor shake up to their lineup by acquiring fourth-line forward Eric Robinson in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets acquired a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft in exchange for a seventh-year player having difficulty landing a regular role. Robinson had just one goal in only seven games, a year after scoring a career-high 12 times.

TENNIS

AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki has been awarded one of the first wild cards for the 2024 Australian Open.

Wozniacki, the 2018 Australian Open women’s champion, and six Australian players were granted the first batch of wild cards.

Wozniacki, 33, returned to top-flight tennis in August after more than three years off the tour and the births of two children. She played in Montreal and Cincinnati before making a run to the fourth round of the U.S. Open, where she lost to eventual champion Coco Gauff.

SOCCER

ENGLAND: Manchester City’s winless run in the Premier League extended to four games, as the defending champions were outplayed in a 1-0 loss at Aston Villa.

Leon Bailey scored off a deflected shot in the 74th minute to leave City six points behind first-place Arsenal and in fourth place, also behind Liverpool and Villa.

• Liverpool won 2-0 at Sheffield United, thanks to goals by Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai, to move back to within two points of leader Arsenal.

• Scott McTominay scored twice as Manchester United beat visiting Chelsea, 2-1.