The New York Racing Association says an early opening at Saratoga is the plan for the 2025 Belmont Stakes if the planned renovations of the Long Island course prevent the race from being held downstate.
The Belmont Stakes is run in early June, while opening day at Saratoga is more than a month later.
NYRA President and CEO David O’Rourke says Saratoga is the right spot for the last leg of the Triple Crown.
“I think it’s more of a natural fit to bring it up here for a three, four, five day festival so that is in our plans," said O'Rourke. "In terms of plans and announcements we’ll have more by the end of the summer.”
Florida resident Cheryl Chu spends her summers in Saratoga. She owns the trackside Winners Circle parking lot, accommodating motorists willing to pay for a spot close to the main gates. She’s not sure it would be worth it to open early.
“I don’t know if it actually will be enough traffic to even render coming up here to you know open the parking lot," Chu said. "And then I’m wondering how it could affect the August track, you know? If a lot of people are coming early for the Belmont are they gonna return for our regular Saratoga season?”
Another trackside parking lot owner, Lawrence Angolini, is open to the idea.
“It’s gonna help us out, we’re gonna have five extra days," said Angolini. "From what I understand we’re gonna open up the track for five days during the Belmont race, that timeframe, and they’re gonna close it down and then open it back up on the regular schedule…”
Ian Morse, who lives a block away from Saratoga Race Course, looks forward to a potential early start to summer racing.
“The track is never a problem, it’s just an item that you deal with seasonally." He continued, "I’m in a pretty good spot here being so close. But you just learn to accept it and get along with it because it’s very good for the community.”
Racing fan Owen Pennant Jones says Saratoga is the ideal place to hold the Test of the Champion.
“This will be the place to do it but don’t shorten the distance, it’s got to be a mile and a half and, yeah, I’ve often thought that Saratoga could run a spring meet as well but there’s something special about the ‘summer place to be,'" said Pennant. "But if you’ve gotta run the Belmont somewhere else I would say Saratoga’s absolutely the place to do it.”
The third leg of the Triple Crown is famously a mile and a half long, and track regular Michael Misurelli says it could be unusual.
“Some traditionalists don’t want to see a dirt race go around three times," he said. "Me? It’s gotta be a mile and a half, it’s a classic distance. So, I think it’ll be a great thing.”
Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus thinks locals will rally behind the idea.
“I think the community will totally, completely, 110% embrace a festival around the Belmont Stakes being here," Shimkus said. "Aand, oh my god, if we could add 50,000 people to Saratoga for a couple of days in June that’s an absolute home run for us.”
