Belmont Stakes to be run at Saratoga Race Course again in 2026, a third time in a row
Horse racing fans stop to watch as a thoroughbred is led to the paddock before the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Horse racing fans lounge on the grounds of Saratoga Race Course before the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Spectators watch as thoroughbreds parade on the track before 41st running of the Woody Stephens horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Sovereignty (2), with jockey Junior Alvarado up, crosses the finish line ahead of Journalism (7), with jockey Umberto Rispoli up, and Baeza (6), with jockey Flavien Prat up, to win the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Sovereignty (2), with jockey Junior Alvarado up, crosses the finish line ahead of Journalism (7), with jockey Umberto Rispoli up, and Baeza (6), with jockey Flavien Prat up, to win the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Horse racing fans stop to watch as a thoroughbred is led to the paddock before the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Horse racing fans lounge on the grounds of Saratoga Race Course before the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Spectators watch as thoroughbreds parade on the track before 41st running of the Woody Stephens horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Sovereignty (2), with jockey Junior Alvarado up, crosses the finish line ahead of Journalism (7), with jockey Umberto Rispoli up, and Baeza (6), with jockey Flavien Prat up, to win the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — The Belmont Stakes is set to be run at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York for a third consecutive year in 2026.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York Racing Association announced Friday that it will be the third and last time the Triple Crown finale is held there before returning to Belmont Park on Long Island in 2027.
Advertisement
'Saratoga has served our fans and stakeholders extremely well as the temporary home of the Belmont Stakes during the construction of a new Belmont Park on Long Island,' NYRA president and CEO David O'Rourke said. "Belmont Park will always be the home of the Belmont Stakes and we look forward to its return to the newly reimagined Belmont in 2027.'
It was confirmation of an expected extension of the race's stay at Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes nearly a half-billion dollar renovation project. It is on track to reopen in September 2026, with the Breeders' Cup returning to New York at Belmont Park in the fall of 2027.
The Belmont will again be run at 1 1/4 miles instead of its traditional 1-1/2 mile distance that has been known as the 'test of the champion." That has been the case the past two years, as well, because of the configuration of the main dirt track.
___
AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Casey Schmitt's 1st career grand slam powers Giants past Dodgers 6-2 in series opener
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Logan Webb tossed seven innings of two-hit ball, Casey Schmitt hit his first career grand slam off Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Friday night in the series opener between the NL West's top two teams. Webb (6-5) allowed two runs, struck out four and walked three for his first win since May 16 against the Athletics. He twice struck out Shohei Ohtani, who was hitless in four at-bats. Schmitt's grand slam traveled 423 feet to left-center with two outs in the third, snapping a 1-1 tie. Yamamoto sandwiched walks to Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos around two strikeouts before walking Wilmer Flores to load the bases and set up Schmitt. Willy Adames homered for the Giants in the first. In the second, Webb walked Freddie Freeman and Will Smith back-to-back to open the inning before Max Muncy's fielder's choice grounder to first and Andy Pages' sacrifice fly scored Smith. The Dodgers added another run on Teoscar Hernández's homer off Webb in the seventh. The teams are meeting for the first time this season, and it's the latest they've gone in a season without playing each other since 1999. The Dodgers were 9-4 against the Giants last year, including 6-1 at home. Key moment Giants catcher Andrew Knizer had his first hit and first homer of the season off Justin Wrobleski in the eighth. The ball went off the wall in center. Key stat The Giants rapped out 10 hits, including three by Dominic Smith. Up next ___
San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Agustín Ramírez homers twice to power Marlins past Nationals 11-9
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rookie Agustín Ramírez hit two home runs and Eric Wagaman had three RBIs to help the Miami Marlins hand the Washington Nationals their sixth straight loss, 11-9 on Friday night in a game that included a rain delay of more than two hours. Ramírez hit a solo shot off Nationals starter Mitchell Parker (4-7) in the first for a 1-0 lead and then hit his 10th of the season leading off a four-run third as Miami took a 6-0 lead. It was Ramírez's second multihomer game after hitting two solo shots in a 7-6 loss to Seattle on April 27. Wagaman had an RBI double and Dane Myers added a two-run double as Miami built the six-run advantage. CJ Abrams reached on an infield hit and James Wood followed with his 17th homer to get the Nationals within 6-2 after three. Fortes and Xavier Edwards had RBI singles in the fifth following a delay of 2 hours, 14 minutes for an 8-2 lead. Wood hit a two-run double and Nathaniel Lowe, Alex Call and Keibert Ruiz followed with RBI singles as Washington scored five times in the seventh to pull within 8-7. Miami answered with Wagaman's two-run single and Connor Norby's RBI groundout in the eighth. Parker allowed six runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. Jackson Rutledge got the final two outs in the fourth before the second delay and then allowed two runs. Jose A. Ferrer was tagged for three runs on four hits in an inning. Miami has won three of four against Washington this season. Up next Miami had not announced who will start Saturday's game opposite Washington RHP Trevor Williams (3-7, 5.91). ___
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Agustín Ramírez homers twice to power Marlins past Nationals 11-9
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rookie Agustín Ramírez hit two home runs and Eric Wagaman had three RBIs to help the Miami Marlins hand the Washington Nationals their sixth straight loss, 11-9 on Friday night in a game that included a rain delay of more than two hours. Ramírez hit a solo shot off Nationals starter Mitchell Parker (4-7) in the first for a 1-0 lead and then hit his 10th of the season leading off a four-run third as Miami took a 6-0 lead. It was Ramírez's second multihomer game after hitting two solo shots in a 7-6 loss to Seattle on April 27. Wagaman had an RBI double and Dane Myers added a two-run double as Miami built the six-run advantage. CJ Abrams reached on an infield hit and James Wood followed with his 17th homer to get the Nationals within 6-2 after three. Fortes and Xavier Edwards had RBI singles in the fifth following a delay of 2 hours, 14 minutes for an 8-2 lead. Wood hit a two-run double and Nathaniel Lowe, Alex Call and Keibert Ruiz followed with RBI singles as Washington scored five times in the seventh to pull within 8-7. Miami answered with Wagaman's two-run single and Connor Norby's RBI groundout in the eighth. Edwin Cabrera allowed two runs in a three-inning start for Miami. Tyler Phillips (1-0) got two outs for the win. Parker allowed six runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. Jackson Rutledge got the final two outs in the fourth before the second delay and then allowed two runs. Jose A. Ferrer was tagged for three runs on four hits in an inning. Miami has won three of four against Washington this season. Key moment Calvin Faucher allowed a one-out single before getting groundouts from Robert Hassell III and Abrams to finish off his sixth save in nine opportunities. Key stat Miami's minus-91 run differential is the second worst in the NL followed by Washington at minus-60. Up next Miami had not announced who will start Saturday's game opposite Washington RHP Trevor Williams (3-7, 5.91). ___ AP MLB:
