NYRA Opens Jan. 21 Presale Lottery for 2026 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga

A presale lottery for reserved seating and hospitality packages at the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will open Jan. 21 and run through Jan. 27, the New York Racing Association announced. Winners will be notified beginning Jan. 29 and will have the opportunity to purchase packages before the general public on-sale Feb. 12, giving connections and fans a head start on securing premium access for the June festival.

The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival is scheduled for June 3-7, with Belmont Stakes Day set for June 6 at Saratoga Race Course. NYRA released general admission pricing: Belmont Stakes Day tickets are $75 for adults and $20 for children ages 4-12, while a five-day festival bundle is priced at $120. The announcement also notes NYRA’s fan protocols for the festival, which entrants and attendees should review as they plan travel and tickets.

The presale lottery targets reserved seating and hospitality buyers rather than general admission, reflecting the premiumization of marquee race-day experiences. By using a lottery window, NYRA aims to manage demand spikes and reduce first-come, first-served scramble, while allowing organizers to forecast hospitality revenue earlier in the year. Hospitality packages have become key revenue drivers across racing, blending trackside viewing with curated hospitality that attracts corporate clients, out-of-town horsemen, and race-day social crowds.

For racing fans and bettors, Belmont at Saratoga is a major calendar marker. Holding Belmont Stakes Day within the Saratoga Racing Festival concentrates big race energy into a week-long meet that historically drives high handle, tourism, and local economic activity. The five-day bundle at $120 signals an attempt to boost attendance across the meet days and make the festival accessible to families and casual fans, while separate hospitality offerings capture higher-spending patrons seeking premium sightlines and curated experiences.

Operationally, the lottery and staggered sale dates give NYRA time to finalize seating maps and hospitality layouts for Saratoga’s unique infrastructure. For local businesses, the festival again promises a summer tourism surge that benefits hotels, restaurants, and service industries in the Spa region. From an industry trend perspective, the move underscores how racetracks are balancing mass-market pricing with packaged hospitality and controlled presales to protect brand value while broadening reach.

Entrants should note the timeline: enter the presale lottery Jan. 21-27, watch for winner notifications beginning Jan. 29, and expect public on-sale opportunities starting Feb. 12. Review NYRA’s published fan protocols before finalizing travel and accommodations to avoid surprises. With the stakes high and premium seats limited, this presale lottery will be the first chance for many to secure a place under Saratoga’s summer sun for one of American racing’s signature weekends.