Will The Belmont Stakes Return To Saratoga In 2026?
The 2026 Belmont Stakes could be run at Saratoga Race Course for a third and final year before relocating back to Belmont Park in Elmont N.Y., according to the Times Union.
The new Belmont Park is scheduled for completion in September 2026–three months after the Belmont Stakes—making it possible that the race will remain at Saratoga for one more year.
'NYRA remains focused on conducting a successful and memorable 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course beginning Wednesday, June 4,' said Patrick McKenna, Vice President of Communications at New York Racing Association (NYRA). 'However, we certainly appreciate the interest around the 2026 edition and will be finalizing and announcing its location in the coming weeks.'
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If Saratoga is confirmed as the 2026 host, it will offer the historic venue one last opportunity to witness a potential Triple Crown winner. That dream was dashed last year when Seize The Grey beat Mystic Dan in the Preakness Stakes. This year, Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty skipped the Preakness, with his connections opting to target the Belmont, and possibly the Travers.
'It's not the fact that you run in the Derby and then you run back in two weeks,' trainer Bill Mott told Blood-Horse following Sovereignty's Derby win, when asked about skipping the Preakness. 'It's not that horses can't do that. We opted to look at the long term and his whole career. As a trainer, one thing on my bucket list is winning the Travers. I'd love to win it and that's one of the races under consideration.'
There remains a possibility that the 2026 Belmont Stakes could be held at a partially complete Belmont Park, which NYRA has made a plan for. However, running the race at an unfinished venue might take away from the excitement of unveiling a fully redeveloped Belmont Park in 2027—when the track is also set to host the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
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