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158th Belmont Stakes Shortened, Runs June 6 at Saratoga

6/5/2026

48 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The 158th Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course.
The race, shortened from 1 ½ miles due to renovations, will be 1 ¼ miles and start at about 7:04 p.m. ET.
The $2 million purse awards $1.2 million to the winner, with payouts down to $20 k for eighth place.
The festival begins Friday, June 5, with 14 stakes races and will be televised on Fox.

History

Historical Context

In 1973 Secretariat’s 31-length, 2:24 Belmont win set a record that still defines the race. After Belmont Park’s reconstruction moved the 2025 and 2026 runnings to Saratoga, the 158th Belmont on June 6 2026 will cut the distance to 1¼ miles and raise the purse to $2 million. The New York Racing Association and Fox promote the change to draw more fans.

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Story summary

The 158th Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course.
The race, shortened from 1 ½ miles due to renovations, will be 1 ¼ miles and start at about 7:04 p.m. ET.
The $2 million purse awards $1.2 million to the winner, with payouts down to $20 k for eighth place.
The festival begins Friday, June 5, with 14 stakes races and will be televised on Fox.

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