Start of turf racing at Aqueduct to be moved back to April 16
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that the 2026 start of turf racing at Aqueduct Racetrack will be moved back two weeks due to the impact of heavy snowfall in January and February paired with continued cold overnight temperatures in March.
Turf racing was initially slated to begin on Friday, April 3, but the launch of the 2026 grass campaign on the NYRA circuit will move to Thursday, April 16.
The Listed $150,000 Plenty of Grace, which was slated to be the first turf stakes of the season on April 4, will move to Friday, April 17. Nominations for the Plenty of Grace will remain open until Saturday, April 4.
Despite the start of the 2026 NYRA turf season being pushed back, turf racing is still scheduled to commence earlier than in both 2024 and 2025.
The current Aqueduct winter meet will conclude on Sunday, March 29 with the 2026 spring meet set to open Thursday, April 2 and continue through Sunday, April 26 with live racing conducted Thursday-Sunday. The spring meet will offer 15 live race days in total.
The Big A spring meet is highlighted by the 101st running of the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino on April 4. The Wood Memorial, a nine-furlong route for sophomores offering 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, headlines a stacked card that includes the Grade 2, $300,000 Carter presented by NYRA Bets, the Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle – a 100-50-25-15-10 qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks, the Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff and the Listed $150,000 Excelsior.
America's Day at the Races presents live coverage and analysis of every day of the Aqueduct Racetrack winter meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.
