The 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, held at Saratoga Race Course in 2024 due to the ongoing construction at Belmont Park, has been expanded and will be held across five days–from June 4 through June 8–at the upstate racetrack in 2025, the New York Racing Association announced Tuesday. Saratoga will also play host to the extended July 4th Racing Festival, which is traditionally held at Belmont Park, from July 3 through July 6. The July 4th Racing Festival will serve as the conclusion of the 2025 Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet.
“There is nothing in sports that compares with the energy at Saratoga Race Course, and we join the fans in looking forward to another spectacular season of racing in 2025,” said NYRA President and CEO David O'Rourke. “While Saratoga is rightly defined by history and tradition, NYRA is thrilled to bring the Belmont Stakes and a special July 4th Racing Festival to Saratoga while a new Belmont Park takes shape on Long Island.”
NYRA's 2025 racing schedule will include 200 live race days held between Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course. The fall and spring/summer meets normally held at Belmont Park will take place at Aqueduct Racetrack in 2025, including the period between the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and July 4th Racing Festival.
Following the close of the 2024 Aqueduct fall meet Dec. 29, the track's 49-day winter meet begins Jan. 1 and continues through Mar. 30.
With the exception of opening week, live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday from the week of Jan. 9 through the week of Feb. 27. Aqueduct will host a Presidents' Day card Feb. 17 and will offer three-day race weeks Friday-Sunday throughout the month of March.
The 15-day Aqueduct spring meet will run from Apr. 3 through Apr. 27, with racing conducted Thursday-Sunday.
The NYRA circuit will remain at Aqueduct for the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet, which will open May 1 and continue through July 6.
The 40-day summer meet at Saratoga will open July 10 and continue through Labor Day, Sept. 1. Following the four-day opening week, live racing will be conducted Wednesday-Sunday with the exception of closing week, which will conclude on Monday, Sept. 1.
The NYRA circuit will return downstate for the 32-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet, which will open Sept. 11 and continue through Nov. 2.
A 27-day fall meet at Aqueduct will draw the curtain on live racing at NYRA in 2025, opening Nov. 6 and continuing through Dec. 31.
For the 2025 calendar of live race dates, visit NYRA.com/2025.
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