Anybody who has ever had work achieved on their home is aware of deadlines are sometimes fluid in relation to renovations.
That’s why it ought to be no shock that Saratoga Race Course will stay the host of the Belmont Stakes in 2026.
The race will happen on Saturday, June 6, 2026, and, as a result of configurations of the monitor in Saratoga, can be run at a mile and 1 / 4, slightly than the normal mile and a half.
The unique plan was to have Belmont Park up and operating for subsequent 12 months’s “Test of the Champion,” however it’ll as a substitute reopen in September 2026.
The announcement, made Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York Racing Affiliation, defined that preserving the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga for yet one more 12 months would permit for the on-time and uninterrupted building of a brand 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 Race Course honors our rich racing heritage while paving the way for a bold, new future at Belmont Park,” Gov. Hochul mentioned in a press release.
“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.”
Saratoga has hosted the final two iterations of the Belmont Stakes, gained by Dornoch and Sovereignty.
The annual Saratoga summer season meet will get underway on Thursday, July 10, however the Race Course may even function the host of the July 4th Racing Pageant, which is historically held at Belmont Park.
The four-day competition will run from Thursday, July 3, to Sunday, July 6.
Hochul introduced earlier this month that Belmont would host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup.