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NYRA announces 2025 race dates

by Pat McKenna

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced its 2025 racing schedule, which includes 200 live race days at Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course.

The ongoing construction of a new and re-imagined Belmont Park will again require adjustments to the customary NYRA schedule. Most notably, the 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be held across five days at Saratoga Race Course from Wednesday, June 4 through Sunday, June 8.

Saratoga will also play host to a special July 4th Racing Festival, which is traditionally held at Belmont Park, from Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6. The July 4th Racing Festival will serve as the conclusion of the 2025 Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet.

In addition, 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 on Sunday, December 29, the 49-day winter meet begins Wednesday, January 1 and continues through Sunday, March 30. With the exception of Opening Week, live racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday from the week of January 9 through the week of February 27. Aqueduct will host a Presidents’ Day card on Monday, February 17. The winter meet will offer three-day race weeks Friday-Sunday throughout the month of March.

The 15-day Aqueduct spring meet will run from Thursday, April 3 through Sunday, April 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 on Thursday, May 1 and continue through Sunday, July 6, with the final four days relocating to Saratoga for the July 4th Racing Festival. Racing at the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet will be conducted Thursday-Sunday throughout the spring/summer with the exception of a Memorial Day program on Monday, May 26.*

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 week, live racing will be conducted Wednesday-Sunday with the exception of closing week, which will conclude on Monday, September 1.

The NYRA circuit will then return downstate for the 32-day Belmont at the Big A fall meet, which will open on Thursday, September 11 and continue through Sunday, November 2. Racing will be conducted Thursday-Sunday throughout the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.

A 27-day fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack will draw the curtain on live racing at NYRA in 2025. The fall meet will open on Thursday, November 6 and continue through Wednesday, December 31 with live racing generally conducted Thursday-Sunday.

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

*Please note, statistics for the 37-day Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet will include the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival and July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.*