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5h ago

Aqueduct Racetrack to Close After 131 Years

A state funding deal that required returning Aqueduct land for redevelopment will shift New York’s downstate live racing to a rebuilt Belmont Park when it reopens in September.

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An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Secretariat, with jockey Ron Turcotte, trots past the grandstand at Aqueduct Racetrack, Image 2 shows Aerial view of Aqueduct Race Track in New York, with horses being walked in an inner ring and spectators watching from tiered stands, Image 3 shows Horses and jockeys erupt from the starting gate at Aqueduct Race Track as parka-wearing assistant starters oversee them

Overview

  • The Big A will run its final live card on Sunday, June 28, 2026, with the last race posted as “It Was a Good Run” at 5:44 p.m.
  • Aqueduct will remain open for simulcast wagering on televised races through Sept. 7 even after live racing ends.
  • The New York Racing Association is consolidating downstate meets to Belmont Park and Saratoga after state funding tied a roughly $550 million Belmont rebuild to returning Aqueduct’s more than 100 acres for redevelopment.
  • Resorts World Casino next to the track has expanded gaming and boosted purses, and its growth helped make redevelopment of the Aqueduct site commercially viable.
  • The closure reflects long-term industry changes, including falling live attendance and competition from casinos, lotteries and online and sports betting, that have reduced the number of U.S. tracks and shifted racing to fewer, larger venues.