Oklahoma Training Track to open April 18
by Keith McCalmont
The Oklahoma Training Track at historic Saratoga Race Course will open for the 2024 season on Thursday, April 18, the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today. The Oklahoma barn area will open to licensed trainers and staff beginning Monday, April 15.
As preparations continue for the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, the main track at the Spa will open roughly one month earlier than is customary on Monday, May 6. Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 8, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held at Saratoga from June 6-9 and feature 23 stakes worth $10.1 million in total purses.
Downstate, the ongoing construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park will require significant adjustments to the customary NYRA training schedule. The main track will remain closed to training throughout the spring and summer as NYRA re-constructs the dirt surface and both turf courses while completing the installation of the new one-mile synthetic oval.
In light of ongoing construction at Belmont, NYRA will waive stall rental fees at Saratoga Race Course for the spring training season beginning May 6, provided all trainer accounts are current through the end of 2023.
The Belmont training track, synthetic pony track and a jogging barn will be open for daily training throughout the spring and summer.
Auxiliary stall applications for Saratoga Race Course for the period of April 15 through June 30 are now available at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/horsemen/. Auxiliary stall applications must be returned by March 24.
As previously announced, the spring/summer and fall meets traditionally held at Belmont Park will take place at Aqueduct Racetrack in 2024.
The 40-day Saratoga summer meet will open on Thursday, July 11 and continue through Labor Day, September 2. Following the four-day opening weekend, live racing will be conducted Wednesday-Sunday with the exception of closing week, which will conclude on Labor Day, September 2.
For more information, please visit http://www.nyra.com.
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