The Belmont Stakes is traditionally run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on a track known as "The Championship Track." This track is a large, wide dirt track where the race is run over a distance of 1½ miles (12 furlongs; about 2,414 meters), which is the longest of the Triple Crown races. Belmont Park has wide, sweeping turns and a long homestretch, making it one of the fairest racetracks in America. However, due to ongoing renovations at Belmont Park, the Belmont Stakes has been held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, for the past two years including 2025, and will be held there again in 2026. Saratoga Race Course's track is shorter, at 1¼ miles instead of the traditional 1½ miles distance at Belmont Park. The renovations at Belmont Park are expected to be completed by 2027, when the race will return to its namesake track. To summarize:
- Traditional track: Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
- Track length at Belmont Park: 1½ miles (12 furlongs)
- Temporary track: Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY (2024-2026)
- Track length at Saratoga: 1¼ miles
- Return to Belmont Park expected in 2027
Belmont Park is often called "The Championship Track" and "The Test of the Champion" because of its challenging distance and its history as the final leg of the Triple Crown.
