Belmont Stakes Day picnic paddock tables to be made available through random drawing
by Pat McKenna, Mark Bardack
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that reserved tables in the Saratoga Race Course picnic paddock will be sold exclusively through a random drawing for Belmont Stakes Day on Saturday, June 8.
As is the case during the 40-day summer meet, the vast majority of Saratoga’s backyard picnic tables -- approximately 700 -- will be available on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
Created by NYRA in 2015 to provide fans the opportunity to conveniently reserve a backyard picnic table during the annual summer meet, the reserved picnic areas for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will be located to the north and south of the Saratoga paddock.
Fans may enter the picnic paddock random drawing at BelmontStakes.com beginning Monday, March 25. Approximately 100 picnic tables will be available for purchase through the random drawing (limited to one entry per person, one picnic table per winner). Winners will be notified shortly after the conclusion of the drawing on Friday, April 5, and will have up to 48 hours to complete the ticket purchase through a NYRA sales representative.
Picnic paddock tables accommodate six guests at $75 per person or a total of $450, which includes the price of admission. If a winner previously secured admission for Belmont Stakes Day prior to the drawing, the purchase price will be credited toward the cost of the table.
Coolers no larger than 12”x18” containing food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted. Additional chairs, pop-up tents or umbrellas are strictly prohibited.
After the conclusion of the random drawing for Belmont Stakes Day, fans may secure tables in the reserved picnic paddock for the other three days of the Festival, June 6, 7 and 9, via Ticketmaster.com.
Each six-person table will be available on Thursday, June 6 for $25 per person; Friday, June 7 for $50 per person; and Sunday, June 9 for $15 per person. Admission is included with the price of each reserved table.
Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes, presented by NYRA Bets, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 6 and continue through Sunday, June 9. Although general admission and hospitality are now sold out for Belmont Stakes Day, June 8, tickets and hospitality options remain available for June 6, 7 and 9 including:
Thursday, June 6: Reserved seating, hospitality and $10 General Admission tickets. Admission is free for children 12 and under.
Friday, June 7: Limited hospitality and $30 General Admission tickets. Admission is $10 for children, ages 4-12.
Saturday, June 8: Belmont Stakes Day tickets are sold out.
Sunday, June 9: Reserved seating, hospitality and $10 General Admission tickets. Admission is free for children 12 and under.
For additional information about the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, visit BelmontStakes.com.