Overview
- The New York Racing Association and Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed the 2026 Belmont Stakes will take place at Saratoga Race Course on June 6, marking its third year away from Belmont Park.
- To accommodate Saratoga’s track dimensions, the event will be run over 1¼ miles instead of the traditional 1½-mile Test of the Champion.
- Organizers say the relocation allows Belmont Park’s $455 million restoration to proceed uninterrupted and meet its planned September 2026 reopening.
- Saratoga successfully hosted the Belmont Stakes in 2024 and 2025, drawing more than 110,000 fans to its five-day racing festival last year.
- Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that once renovations finish, Belmont Park will host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup.