A $1-million bonus will be offered for the second consecutive year to the connections of any Japan-based horse who wins the $1.5-million GI Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets in 2018, NYRA announced Friday. For 2017, the connections of Epicharis (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) are eligible to win the inaugural bonus, on top of the $800,000 winner's share of the purse. A horse must have made at least three starts in Japan prior to starting in the Belmont (Epicharis made four) and also be nominated to the American Triple Crown. Wagering on the 2017 Belmont S. will be conducted through a separate, non-comingled pool after an agreement was reached between NYRA and the Japan Racing Association (JRA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.
NYRA will provide a live simulcast in Japan accessible through Green Channel, the JRA's official racing cable network channel, as well as replays of the race at the JRA's on- and off-course facilities, JRA racing programs on Fuji Television Network and Television Tokyo, and on the JRA's website at www.jra.go.jp/sp.jra.jp, to be geo-filtered within Japan. Wagering will be available via JRA's internet betting platform, PAT.
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