New York governor says Belmont Stakes will only happen if air quality improves

• Hochul: Belmont may be affected if air quality doesn't improve
• NYRA spox remains optimistic' Saturday race will take place
• Training at New York track cancelled Thursday due to wildfires

Racing at Belmont Park was canceled on Thursday due to poor air quality from wildfires in Canada, and New York's governor warned that the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the Triple Crown, could be affected if conditions don't improve by Saturday.

It was the second straight day in which the fires north of the border affected sports in the northeastern United States. In Major League Baseball, the Washington Nationals' home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was postponed Thursday, a day after games were called off at New York and Philadelphia.