Coronavirus NY: More than 11,000 fans to be in stands at Belmont Stakes

ELMONT, New York (WABC) -- The Belmont Stakes will officially run Saturday.

More than 10,000 fans will be in the stands for the first major horse race in New York since the pandemic began -- and officials will use the event to try to promote vaccinations.

One of the signature New York events was impacted by COVID last year with no fans, but they will be out and cheering now.

It will be the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, which is the longest race in the Triple Crown -- a mile-and-a-half.

This year's favorite is gray horse "Essential Quality."

However, the main headline is that there will be fans to cheer on.

"There will be 11,000 based on guidelines issued by the state over the last month for fans and we are welcoming and we are happy to have that many back to kickstart racing again to fans in New York," said Jeff Cannizzo, of the New York Racing Association.

A mobile vaccination site will be set up at the event.

Anyone who signs up and gets vaccinated on the way into Belmont Stakes gets free tickets for next year's race.

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