Massive Horse Race Returning to Upstate New York

One of the largest and most important horse races of the year is returning to Upstate New York in 2026.

If you follow the world of horse racing, you already know that there are three big races every year that make up the Triple Crown. There's the Preakness, the Kentucky Derby, and the Belmont Stakes, which has run in New York for over 150 years. For the last two years, the Belmont Stakes, which is normally hosted at Belmont Park, has been held at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga, New York, while the park in Elmont, N.Y., undergoes construction.

The massive construction project at Belmont Park has been underway for a couple of years and is scheduled to open to the public in September 2026, a few months after the yearly Belmont Stakes, which runs in June every year. In an effort to make sure it can continue without interruption, New York officials have announced that the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will return to Saratoga, NY, one more time.

Belmont Stakes in New York

The third time will be the charm as the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will return to Saratoga Race Course in June 2026 for the third and final year to allow for uninterrupted construction of a new Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., according to WRGB.

Belmont Stakes Returns to Saratoga, New York

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced that the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will return to Saratoga Race Course in June 2026 for a third and final year, saying,

"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. 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 comes after Saratoga successfully hosted the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival for the last two years.

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The 2026 Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 6th, 2026.