At the end of last week, the New York Racing Association published its newest live racing schedule for the 2022 season at the state. The new racing calendar will feature over 202 world-class racing days across the state’s Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Saratoga Race Course. With the association hosting the spectacular Saratoga Race Course summer meet once again next year.
The recently-announced schedule will include the 2021-2022 Aqueduct winter meet from December 9 through March 27, followed by the 15-day Aqueduct spring meet in March 2022. As well as the 154th edition of the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets, the 44-day Belmont spring and the icing on the cake the 40-day summer meet the emblematic Saratoga Race Course.
Action-Filled Calendar
The 2022 season will be highlighted by the 154th installment of the Grade 1 Belmont Stake Presented by NYRA will start off on June 11. The 44-day Belmont spring/summer meet is set to begin on April 28 and run through July 10. Racing at the track will be mainly conducted from Thursday to Sunday during the meet with the exception of Memorial Day weekend and July 4th weekend.
The highly-anticipated 40-day summer meet at the Saratoga Race Course will feature the 95th edition of the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes and the 153rd running of the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes. The summer meet is on schedule to be on July 14, 2022, and it will end on Labor Day, September 5, 2022. After the four-day racing weekend at the start of the meet, racing will then continue five days a week, from Wednesday through Sunday.
The 28-day fall meet at Belmont Park is then set to begin Thursday, September 15, and will continue to Sunday, October 30, 2022. Live racing will be conducted from Thursday through Sunday during the fall meet. After that, racing will return to the Aqueduct Racetrack for an 18-day fall meet from November 4 through December 4, 2022. With racing held from Thursdays to Sundays.
After the fall meet at the Aqueduct Racetrack, fans of the live harness sport will be able to enjoy the winter meet at the track. Starting on December 15, 2022, the meeting will have a 10-day holiday break from December 19 to 28 and then restart again on December 31, 2022. The full schedule for the 2022 season can be found on the association’s official website.
2021 Summer Meet Results
Previously, the New York Racing Association revealed that the 153rd 2021 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course has enjoyed significant success in terms of attendance and all-handle betting. Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, and the state’s health and safety protocols, the meet reported a record all-source handle with US$1 million in paid attendance and the highest-ever betting volume.
We Are NY Horse Racing
The association has also been involved in the creation of We Are NY Horse Racing, which is a coalition, which task would be to educate the local population on the importance of the equine racing industry for the state. Along with NYRA, the coalition is also compiled of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, New York State Laborers’ Organizing Fund, Long Island Contractors Association, New York Farm Bureau, Saratoga Casino, and Hotel, DZ Restaurants, and many more state institutions and businesses.
Source: “NYRA to Maintain Customary Racing Schedule in 2022”, BloodHorse, October 21, 2021