The Belmont Stakes is the final and most demanding leg of the American Triple Crown, a race that has crushed dreams and crowned legends in equal measure since 1867. The 2026 edition takes place on June 6 at 6:41 PM EDT at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, carrying a purse of $2,000,000. For 2025 and 2026, the Belmont has relocated from its traditional home at Belmont Park to Saratoga while the Long Island facility undergoes a major renovation, with the distance shortened to 1.25 miles from its historic 1.5 miles.
The Test of the Champion
The Belmont Stakes has been the crucible where Triple Crown bids are decided. Secretariat’s 1973 Belmont, when he won by an astonishing 31 lengths in a time of 2:24 that shattered the track record, is widely considered the single greatest performance by any racehorse in history. The television footage of Secretariat pulling away from the field down the Belmont stretch, announcer Chic Anderson calling “he is moving like a tremendous machine,” remains the most iconic moment in American racing.
For 37 years after Affirmed’s Triple Crown in 1978, the Belmont was known as the “Graveyard of Champions,” the race where one bid after another was denied. Silver Charm, Real Quiet, War Emblem, Smarty Jones, Big Brown, I’ll Have Another, and California Chrome all arrived at Belmont with a chance at immortality and left without it. American Pharoah finally broke the drought in 2015, and Justify followed in 2018, but the Belmont’s reputation as the ultimate test endures.
The 2026 Edition at Saratoga
With the race at Saratoga for the second consecutive year, the Belmont runs at the shorter distance of 1.25 miles rather than the grueling 1.5 miles that made it “The Test of the Champion.” The Acorn Stakes on June 5 at 5:30 PM EDT opens the weekend. The Belmont Stakes on June 6 goes to post at 6:41 PM EDT. The shift to Saratoga changes the character of the race somewhat, but the pressure of history and the stakes of a potential Triple Crown bid remain unchanged.
Timezone Guide for International Viewers
For fans in London, the 6:41 PM EDT post time falls at 11:41 PM BST, a late night affair but one that dedicated fans make time for. European viewers on the continent get a 12:41 AM CEST start. Australian fans in Melbourne can catch the race at 8:41 AM AEST on Sunday morning, one of the most accessible timeslots of any Triple Crown race for Antipodean viewers. Japanese viewers in Tokyo get the race at 7:41 AM JST on Sunday. Fans in Dubai tune in at 2:41 AM GST.
The Saratoga Experience
Saratoga Race Course is the oldest sporting venue of any kind in the United States, having hosted racing since 1863. The track is set among the elm-lined streets of Saratoga Springs, a charming upstate New York town that transforms into the summer capital of American racing every July and August. For the Belmont Stakes in June, Saratoga offers its intimate 50,000-capacity setting, a stark contrast to the massive expanse of Belmont Park. The atmosphere is closer, warmer, and more personal, with the crowd packed tight along the rail and the energy concentrated in a way that larger venues cannot replicate.
What to Watch For in 2026
The big question is always whether the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner (if the same horse) can complete the Triple Crown. At Saratoga’s shorter distance, the stamina advantage that traditionally separated the Belmont from the first two legs is reduced, potentially making it easier for a Triple Crown hopeful to survive the three-race campaign. Watch for fresh shooters who skipped the earlier legs, as trainers increasingly target the Belmont as a standalone objective.
For the current time in Saratoga Springs, check Saratoga Springs time. For more on US time zones, see United States time.