NYRA announces stakes schedule for the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced the stakes schedule for the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, which will be held at Saratoga Race Course from Wednesday, June 3, through Sunday, June 7.
Highlighted by the 158th edition of Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 6, the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will include 10 Grade 1 races among 18 graded stakes across five days of world class competition.
With a new and re-imagined Belmont Park to open for live racing on September 18, 2026, the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets will return to its Long Island Home beginning in 2027.
Tickets and hospitality offerings for the final edition of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. EST on Thursday, February 12 at BelmontStakes.com.
A blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day at Saratoga awaits fans on Saturday, June 6, with a program to include six Grade 1 events among seven graded stakes headlined by the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and featuring the Grade 1, $1 million Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap; the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World Casino Manhattan; the Grade 1, $500,000 Jaipur; the Grade 1, $500,000 Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun; the Grade 1 $500,000 Just a Game presented by Resolute Racing and the Grade 3, $400,000 True North.
As in 2025, NYRA will raise the curtain on the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival with an Opening Day dedicated to New York-breds on Wednesday, June 3. The special New York Showcase Day program will offer six $200,000 events exclusively for horses foaled in the Empire State, including the Mike Lee, the Bouwerie, the Commentator, the Critical Eye, the Kingston and the Mount Vernon.
In total, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will offer 25 stakes races worth $11,075,000 million in purses. For additional details and the full stakes schedule, visit BelmontStakes.com/schedule.
FOX Sports is the television home of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, providing viewers across the country with its Eclipse Award-winning coverage of all five days of the Festival.
The Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets will once again be contested at 1 1/4 miles in 2026 rather than the traditional 1 1/2 miles due to the configuration of Saratoga’s main track.
