Belmont Stakes will happen at Saratoga 1 more time in 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York Racing Association announced Friday that the Belmont Stakes racing festival will return to Saratoga in June 2026 for a third and final year to allow for the on-time and uninterrupted construction of a new Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
“New York is home to world class sports and entertainment and this final chapter of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga honors our rich racing heritage while paving the way for a bold, new future at Belmont Park,” Governor Hochul said. “Bringing the race back to Saratoga next year will once again expand the audience for this storied leg of the Triple Crown and ensure fans continue to enjoy the full experience.”
The announcement follows the recently concluded 2025 Belmont Stakes racing festival which was highlighted by Sovereignty’s victory in Saturday’s 157th running of the Belmont Stakes.
The reimagined Belmont Park remains on schedule to open to the public in September 2026. While NYRA had previously left open the possibility of hosting a Belmont Stakes in a partially completed facility with a limited number of fans, the decision to return to Saratoga for the 2026 Belmont Stakes racing festival will allow the event to be unhindered by various restrictions made necessary by ongoing construction.
New York Racing Association president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said, “Saratoga has served our fans and stakeholders extremely well as the temporary home of the Belmont Stakes during the construction of a new Belmont Park on Long Island. As we prepare for the opening of the new Belmont Park in the fall of 2026, NYRA is pleased to bring the Belmont Stakes to Saratoga for a third and final time next June. Belmont Park will always be the home of the Belmont Stakes and we look forward to its return to the newly reimagined Belmont in 2027.”
The 2026 Belmont Stakes will be held Saturday, June 6. The race will once again be contested at 1 1/4 miles in 2026, rather than the traditional 1 1/2 miles due to the configuration of Saratoga’s main track.
In the coming weeks, Saratoga will serve as the home to a special July 4th racing festival which is traditionally held at Belmont Park. The four-day event will take place July 3 through July 6 and will serve as a prelude to the traditional 40-day Saratoga summer meet which gets underway on July 10. The summer meet will continue through Sept. 1. New York State and NYRA are currently redeveloping Belmont Park, with a $455 million capital construction project transforming the facility into a world-class racing and entertainment destination.
In May, Governor Hochul announced Belmont Park will host the Breeders’ Cup in 2027 for the first time in 20 years. It will be the fifth time New York will host the Breeders’ Cup after hosting in 1990, 1995, 2001 and 2005. The Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park will be held Oct. 29-30, 2027, pending dates approval by the New York State Gaming Commission.