The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced the Long Island Rail Road carried 22,902 horse racing fans to and from the 155^th Running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 10, the 50^th anniversary of Secretariat’s record-setting win capturing the triple crown. The railroad carried 10,671 fans to the race, and 12,231 fans – 25.4% of the race attendance, reported as 48,089 – returned home on the LIRR after the race.

This year was the first year that the railroad has offered trains from Grand Central to Belmont Park, allowing fans from the Hudson Valley and Connecticut to connect with trains for Belmont Park under one roof.

“The LIRR is pleased to have been able to carry a roughly quarter of the attendees of the third leg of the triple crown,” said Catherine Rinaldi, Interim President of MTA Long Island Rail Road and President of MTA Metro-North Railroad. “I would like to thank all of the LIRR employees who made the day such a success.”

The LIRR’s Belmont Park station was enhanced with high-level platforms in 2015.

In addition to the fans who arrived by LIRR, the MTA also carried additional fans to the race via the Q2 and Q110 bus routes, which connect with the  and  subway lines in Jamaica.