Is This the Last Belmont at Saratoga? What the Move Means for Horses, Bettors & the Race

Coming into the Belmont Stakes in 2025, it was expected that the Belmont Park renovation would be far enough along to run the Belmont Stakes at its historic home in 2026. However, the tune changed last summer – the Belmont Stakes is being run for the third time at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, June 6, 2026. It is expected to be the last edition of the final leg of the Triple Crown at Saratoga: racing is expected to resume at Belmont Park in the fall of 2026, with the triumphant return of the Belmont Stakes there in June of 2027.

However, the Belmont Stakes being run at Saratoga isn’t just a question of a different backdrop. It means the race is run over a different distance, something you need to consider as you handicap the race.

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Why the Belmont Moved to Saratoga in the First Place

Historic Belmont Park is being rebuilt from the ground up: bettors and fans can expect a sleek, modern grandstand as well as racing facilities that support year-round racing, including a new synthetic track in addition to dirt and turf racing. Construction began in 2024, and though the new grandstand was always expected to be finished by fall 2026, the racing surface was originally expected to be ready for the Belmont Stakes Festival in June 2026. For 2024 and 2025, the New York Racing Association moved the marquee weekend of racing upstate to its other showpiece track – Saratoga.

In the summer of 2025, however, plans changed. The grandstand is still expected for the fall of 2026, but they wanted more time to finish the racing surfaces. Thus, the Belmont Stakes was moved to Saratoga for one final year in 2026.

How Saratoga Changes the Belmont Betting Math

The traditional distance of the Belmont Stakes is 1 ½ miles, but Saratoga cannot support a fair 1 ½-mile dirt race. It would require the gate to be put on the turn, meaning horses in outside gates would be disadvantaged.

Thus, the editions of the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga are run at 1 ¼ miles. Usually, one of the challenges of handicapping the Belmont Stakes is that no one has ever tried the race distance. However, at the Saratoga distance, all the Kentucky Derby horses have tried the distance once before. Stamina is still at a premium – but there are actually horses in the field who have tried the distance. This means more confidence in betting horses from the Kentucky Derby who handled 1 ¼ miles well – and more confidence in tossing Kentucky Derby horses who looked a little sluggish late over that trip without a good excuse.

The Horses the Saratoga Setup Favors

The 1 ¼-mile setup at Saratoga still demands stamina – it’s not short, and a horse who can’t handle 1 ¼ miles at Churchill Downs probably won’t handle the distance at Saratoga either, unless their past performances show good races at Saratoga and particularly poor efforts at Churchill Downs alone.

However, if a horse ran well over 1 ¼ miles in the Kentucky Derby, the Saratoga distance means that handicappers don’t have to ask the question of how they’ll handle going longer. It’s more about pace – both of the Saratoga editions of the Belmont Stakes have been won by horses showing a forward running style, so that may be the most important question to ask.

For specifics on each horse in the Belmont Stakes, read our piece on Every Horse in the 2026 Belmont Stakes In Detail.

What the Move Back to Belmont Park Will Change

When the Belmont Stakes is run in 2027 at the new Belmont Park, the distance question returns to the forefront. The race is once again the Test of the Champion – the longest distance any of the horses in the field will have run, and the longest they’ll probably ever go. It’s worth noting horses with strong stamina pedigrees – but much like 1 ¼ miles, American horses aren’t actually bred to go 1 ½ miles, so it’s a lot of extrapolating from route form and sires like Tapit and Curlin who have had a lot of Classic performers in the past.

Historically speaking, tactical speed is a good trip for a 1 ½-mile edition of the Belmont Stakes. There is often at least one Belmont horse who gains steam from bettors who think that they were finishing well in the Kentucky Derby, and the extra quarter-mile will get them there. However, what usually ends up happening, unless there is a rare speed duel in the Belmont, is that horses who are forwardly placed keep running in the lane, and the closer falls short once again.

What to Watch as the Belmont's Future Takes Shape

The 2026 Belmont Stakes is the third edition at Saratoga, and is expected to be the final one there before the newly revamped Belmont Park opens in the fall of 2026. Next year, the Test of the Champion will be back at its 1 ½-mile distance

You have more facts handicapping for a Saratoga Belmont than you do for one at Belmont Park, just because many of the horses have tried 1 ¼ miles once. However, don’t get overwhelmed when the race moves back downstate, because you know what to look at. Even at Belmont, a lot of the fundamentals are the same as at Saratoga. Look for classy horses with as good a stamina pedigree as you can find, and give the edge to tactical speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga or Belmont Park?

The 2026 Belmont Stakes is at Saratoga Race Course for the third and final time.

Why is the Belmont Stakes being run at Saratoga?

The Belmont Stakes is at Saratoga because Belmont Park is being rebuilt. There is a new, modern grandstand taking the place of the old one, and the track will host dirt, turf, and synthetic racing once it reopens.

How long is the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga compared to Belmont Park?

The Belmont Stakes is two furlongs shorter at Saratoga compared to Belmont: 1 ¼ miles, the same distance as the Kentucky Derby, instead of its 1 ½-mile trip at Belmont.

When is the Belmont Stakes returning to Belmont Park?

Racing returns to Belmont Park in September 2026, with the Belmont Stakes returning there in June 2027.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.