Why the Belmont Stakes Is Still Being Run at Saratoga in 2026

The final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes 2026, is all set to take place on Saturday evening at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. But for those who have followed the race over the years, they know it's not the traditional venue.

The Belmont Stakes is one of the three premier horse racing events on the American calendar, traditionally scheduled after the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. However, it predates both events, with the first running dating back to 1867 at Jerome Park.

Jerome Park hosted the race 23 times before it moved to Morris Park Racecourse and eventually to Belmont Park, starting in 1905. Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York, hosted it five times between 1963 and 1967 before moving back to Belmont Park, where it stayed until 2023.

With construction and renovations ongoing at Belmont Park, the race was shifted to Saratoga Race Course in 2024, and Saturday will mark the third straight year it is held there.

Belmont Park was last renovated in 1968, and the rebuild has been a long time coming. According to the New York Racing Association, the new facility will be "centered around a roughly 300,000 square ft, five-story building featuring the modern amenities and hospitality offerings," alongside a bigger infield.

It is scheduled to reopen for live racing in September 2026, with the Belmont Stakes returning to its usual course in 2027.

For those who don't know, there's a slight difference in distances between the two venues. Races at Belmont Park were contested at 1 1/2 miles due to the unique configuration of the course, but at Saratoga Race Course, the distance is 1 1/4 miles, which significantly changes the race dynamic.

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