NYRA, Horse Racing Ireland and Naas Racecourse announce joint race sponsorships

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and Naas Racecourse today announced a partnership to sponsor important turf races at Belmont Park and Naas Racecourse in Ireland.

The agreement will give NYRA and HRI reciprocal sponsorship of races slated for 2026 at Belmont Park and 2027 at Naas Racecourse. The partnership commences with the Grade 2, $500,000 Man o’ War presented by Horse Racing Ireland on Saturday, November 28, at Belmont Park, a 10-furlong turf route for 3-year-olds and up. Accordingly, Belmont Park will serve as the sponsor of the Belmont Park Irish EBF Fillies Maiden on Wednesday, June 23, 2027, on the Al Shira’aa Irish EBF Jannah Rose Stakes program at Naas Racecourse.

“NYRA is extremely proud to work with Horse Racing Ireland and Naas Racecourse to promote the important and continually growing connection between horse racing in New York and in Ireland,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations. “We strongly believe this partnership continues to highlight the worldwide impact that the new Belmont Park can have on the thoroughbred racing industry.”

“Belmont Park is steeped in history and NYRA has invested in its glorious future. In the tradition of Dermot Weld’s Go and Go or Leo O’Brien’s Fourstars Allstar, who both crossed the Atlantic to win Classics – HRI anticipates great days ahead and is delighted to enter a partnership with NYRA and Naas Racecourse.” said Charles O’Neill, CEO of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

“We are delighted to partner with NYRA and Horse Racing Ireland on this exciting initiative, which further strengthens the relationship between Irish and American racing. Naas has long been recognized as the ‘Nursery of Champions’, with many future stars beginning their careers at the racecourse before going on to achieve success at the highest level internationally. The association with the iconic Belmont Park is a tremendous honor for Naas, and we look forward to welcoming this partnership to our racecourse in June 2027, during one of the most important weeks in the Irish racing calendar,” said Aidan McGarry, Racecourse Manager, Naas Racecourse.

The Man o’ War presented by Horse Racing Ireland serves as a prestigious cornerstone turf route on the North American racing calendar, and up to two (2) starting positions may be reserved, subject to approval by the NYRA Stakes committee, for horses shipping in from outside of North America who may not otherwise qualify through the standard preference order.

The Belmont Park Irish EBF Fillies Maiden has consistently been a proving ground for well-regarded 2-year-old fillies, including 2025 winner Havana Anna, who subsequently was Group 1-placed in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket and this year captured the Group 3 Goffs Lacken at Naas for trainer Donnacha O’Brien. In 2024, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Merrily graduated in the Irish EBF Fillies Maiden before capping her juvenile campaign with a win in the Group 3 Oh So Sharp at Newmarket.

The Belmont Park Irish EBF Fillies Maiden occurs during a prominent week on the Irish horse racing calendar, slated for the Wednesday before the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival on June 25-27 at The Curragh and during the week of the Goffs Breeze Up Sales. The breeze-up takes place at Naas Racecourse early that week, with the sale itself taking place at Goffs over Derby weekend.

The Grade 2, $500,000 Man o‘ War presented by Horse Racing Ireland headlines a stacked November 28 card featuring six stakes, including a pair of 1 5/16-mile $500,000 turf events in the Grade 2 Jockey Club Derby for sophomores and the Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks for sophomore fillies. The card is supported by the 11-furlong Grade 3, $250,000 Long Island for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on turf, as well as two $300,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series events going seven furlongs on the main track in the Great White Way for 2-year-olds and the Fifth Avenue for 2-year-old fillies.

A stakes laden weekend concludes on Sunday, November 29, with the Listed $175,000 Central Park at 1 1/16-miles on turf for 2-year-olds and the $150,000 Lure, a one-mile turf test restricted to 3-year-olds which have not won an open sweepstakes in 2026.

Entries for the 68th running of the Man o’ War presented by Horse Racing Ireland will be taken on Saturday, November 21. Notable past winners of this event include Hall of Famers Fort Marcy [1970], Secretariat [1973] and Waya [1978], and Champions The Axe II [1963], Turbo Jet II [1964], Assagai [1966], Hawaii [1969], Run the Gantlet [1971], Typecast [1972], Dahlia [1974], Snow Knight [1975], Bowl Game [1979], Theatrical [1987], Sunshine Forever [1988], Gio Ponti [2009-10] and Cape Blanco [2011] counted a Man o’ War victory within their award-winning seasons.

For more information, please visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/horsemen/.

About the New York Racing Association, Inc.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is a not-for-profit organization franchised by New York State to conduct thoroughbred racing at Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York’s horse racing economy, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual statewide impact.

NYRA is the parent company of NYRA Bets, LLC, the national advanced deposit wagering platform launched in 2016 and currently available to customers in 38 states. NYRA Bets provides bettors the opportunity to wager on tracks worldwide from anywhere at any time. The NYRA Bets app is available for download on iOS and Android at NYRABets.com.

About Horse Racing Ireland 

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) is the national authority for thoroughbred racing in Ireland with responsibility for the governance, development and promotion of the industry under the Horse and Greyhound Racing Act 2001.

As a commercial semi-state body HRI, through its board, reports to the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine. This reporting line reflects the importance of Ireland’s thoroughbred racing and breeding industry to agricultural development and employment in every region of the country. 

The Irish breeding and racing industry supports in excess of 30,000 direct and indirect jobs in Ireland, and generates €2.46bn in total expenditure, in towns and villages all over Ireland.

About Naas Racecourse

Naas Racecourse, located in County Kildare in the heart of Ireland’s thoroughbred racing and breeding industry, is widely recognized as the ‘Nursery of Champions’. Hosting both Flat and National Hunt racing throughout the year, Naas has established a reputation as an important proving ground for emerging talent, with numerous future Group 1 winners and international champions having competed at the track.

Renowned for its high-quality racing programme and strong connections with Ireland’s leading trainers, owners and breeders, Naas continues to play an important role in developing the next generation of thoroughbred stars.