Saratoga Prepares for an Emotional Farewell to the Belmont Stakes

Saratoga Race Course will have a packed schedule in 2026, marking the end of a unique chapter in racing history.

The New York Racing Association has announced 51 days of racing at the Spa, and the biggest takeaway is that this will be the final year the Belmont Stakes is run in Saratoga.

The five-day Belmont Stakes Festival returns from June 3rd through June 7th. The highlight will be the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes on June 6th. Saratoga has served as a temporary home for the race during construction at Belmont Park, and 2026 will be the last time it does so.

NYRA officials say Saratoga continues to sit at the center of the racing world each summer. They note that this racing season will be especially meaningful as it combines the final Saratoga-Belmont with the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

According to Saratoga Today, after the Belmont at the Big A meet ends, racing shifts back to Saratoga for a 46-day summer meet. It opens with the July 4th Racing Festival from July 3rd through July 5th.

The remainder of the meet includes several weeks of racing from Thursday through Sunday before returning to a five-day schedule in late July. The season wraps up with a six-day closing week that runs through Labor Day on September 7th.

The 2027 Saratoga racing meet will return to its 40-day traditional schedule.

Community leaders say one final summer hosting the Belmont and July 4th events will again bring a boost to local hotels, restaurants, and shops as this chapter at the Spa comes to a close.