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Saratoga to host expanded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and July 4th Racing Festival in 2025

by Pat McKenna, Mark Bardack

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that Saratoga Race Course will host an expanded Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and, for the first time, a special July 4th Racing Festival. Both events will fall outside of the traditional 40-day summer meet, which will open on Thursday, July 10 and conclude on Labor Day, September 1.

Due to the ongoing construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park, which is on-schedule to be completed in 2026, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will return to historic Saratoga Race Course in 2025.

Following its successful debut at Saratoga this past June, the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will include one additional day in 2025 and be conducted from Wednesday, June 4 to Sunday, June 8. Highlighted by the 157th running of the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 7, the Festival will offer five days of world-class racing and entertainment.

In addition to the 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, Saratoga will host a special July 4th Racing Festival from Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6. Typically held at Belmont Park, the 2025 July 4th Racing Festival will serve as a prelude to the traditional summer meet and conclude the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet.

The 40-day summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will open on Thursday, July 10 and continue through Labor Day, September 1. Following the four-day opening weekend, live racing will be conducted Wednesday-Sunday with the exception of closing week, which will conclude on Monday, September 1.

“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 & 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.”

Following the 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, live racing on the NYRA circuit will return to Aqueduct Racetrack from June 12 to June 29 prior to the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga.

With the addition of the Belmont Stakes and July 4th Racing Festivals, Saratoga will host nine live race days in 2025 outside of the traditional 40-day summer meet.

Information about tickets and hospitality for both the Belmont Stakes and July 4th Racing Festivals will be available in early 2025.

For the 2025 calendar of live race dates, visit NYRA.com/2025.