Food consumption

The New York Times reported that attendance for the day of the inaugural running was at least the equal of the largest crowd to ever attend a race at the Sheepshead Bay facility and that the caterer sold the following food:^[3]

The Futurity Stakes was hosted by the Sheepshead Bay Race Track until the track's closure following a statewide ban on parimutuel betting through enactment of the Hart–Agnew Law by the New York Legislature. It was switched to the Saratoga Race Course for 1910 but was not raced for the next two years until the State Legislature lifted the ban. Held at Saratoga in 1913 and 1914, it was them moved to Belmont Park. In 1959 and 1960, plus from 1962 to 1967, the race was hosted by the Aqueduct Racetrack before returning to Belmont Park where it has since remained.

The race's counterpart on turf is the Laurel Futurity at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. Prior to the advent of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the Belmont Futurity was one of the United States' most important dirt races for two-year-olds. Some of the greatest Thoroughbreds in American racing history have won the race including Colin, Native Dancer, Man o' War and U.S. Triple Crown champions Affirmed, Secretariat, and Citation.

In 2001, the race had been scheduled to be run on September 16 but was canceled following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Over the years the race has been contested at various distances:

• 6 furlongs: 1888–1891, 1902–1924, 2011–present;
• 1,263 yards and 1 foot: 1892–1901;
• Approximately 7 furlongs: 1925–1933;
• 6.5 furlongs: 1934–1975;
• 7 furlongs: 1976–1993; 2005–2009.
• 8 furlongs: 1994–2004.