“Saratoga at Belmont” will be up and running on Wednesday, July 23, despite last weekend’s transformer fire that short-circuited the final day of the Belmont Park Spring/Summer season on Sunday.

As the faulty transformer is being replaced, generators have been installed to provide more than enough electricity to power Belmont Park’s simulcasting of the prestigious Saratoga meet and action from other top tracks. Air-conditioning has already been restored to the Belmont Café (first floor clubhouse), and could be restored to the Paddock Dining Room, along with the adjacent Players Club and Paddock Bar, as early as Friday.

Patrons who have winning tickets from Sunday’s simulcasting from other tracks should bring them to the second floor customer service booth..

General parking and admission for “Saratoga at Belmont “is free. Preferred clubhouse parking is $3. Parking fields and admission gates open at 10:45 a.m. (except for the two Sunset Fridays, July 25 and August 29, when gates open at noon.

The “Saratoga at Belmont” season runs from July 23 through Labor Day, Monday, September 1, with no simulcasting to Belmont Park on Tuesdays, when Saratoga Race Course is dark.

ENJOY THE THRILL OF SARATOGA WITHOUT EVER LEAVING BELMONT PARK

Once again, New York metro area racing fans will make the short trip to Belmont Park this summer to catch all the simulcast racing action from Saratoga Race Course as well as simulcasts from other top tracks. Fans will get the best in Thoroughbred racing, free parking, free admissions, track prices on their winnings, all without having to drain the gas tank, making “Saratoga at Belmont” the racing fan’s top “staycation” choice.

Access to “Saratoga at Belmont” will be easier than ever this year as the simulcasting center will be located conveniently on the first two floors of the Belmont Park clubhouse.

The area includes the air-conditioned Belmont Café (capacity 325) on the first floor, which features plenty of TVs, self- service betting terminals and a concession stand serving burgers, hot dogs, salads and sandwiches. More air-conditioned comfort can be found in the second floor Paddock Dining Room (capacity 200+) which features table service; the Players’ Lounge, with its array of new LCD flat-screen TVs; and the Paddock Bar, serving adult beverages. The second floor also features a section of handicapping desks, each with its own terminal for both self-service wagering and TV viewing as well as the Race Replay Center, where serious handicappers can look back through an archive of race video from the New York Racing Association tracks (Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratgoa) and other key circuits. For refreshments, there’s the nearby Sbarro’s Pizza and Café Espresso.

Patrons will find more than 250 locations to place a bet, either with a teller or at self-service terminals located throughout the “Saratoga at Belmont” area.

“Saratoga at Belmont” fans don’t have to spend the day inside--they can catch a few rays on the clubhouse apron or head out into Belmont Park’s tree-shaded backyard, complete with picnic tables and self-service betting facilities.

General parking and admission for “Saratoga at Belmont “is free. Preferred clubhouse parking is $3. Parking fields and admission gates open at 10:45 a.m. (except for the two Sunset Fridays, July 25 and August 29, when gates open at noon. The “Saratoga at Belmont” season runs from July 23 through Labor Day, Monday, September 1, with no simulcasting to Belmont Park on Tuesdays, when Saratoga Race Course is dark.