The Belmont Stakes has officially been postponed a mere two weeks from its original date.
The New York Racing Association announced Tuesday that the Belmont Stakes has been rescheduled for June 20 as the first race of an altered Triple Crown schedule. The race was originally set to take place on June 6.
The Belmont is set to precede the rescheduled September 5 Kentucky Derby by nearly three months and the October 3 Preakness Stakes by four. This year marks the first shuffle of the usual Derby-Preakness-Belmont order since 1930, when the Preakness was held a week before the Kentucky Derby.
Per ESPN, the Belmont has never before led off the Triple Crown, though it has previously been the second leg of the three-race competition.
Fans will not be permitted at the event. NBC’s coverage will begin at 3 PM ET, an hour earlier than usual.
The Belmont joins a short list of sporting events set to take place between now and July. NASCAR and the German Bundesliga resumed their seasons on Sunday, the UFC resumed two weeks ago, and the Professional Bull Riders Tour resumed last month. AMA Supercross is set to resume May 31 and IndyCar June 6.
