If you’re hunting for the horse racing results at Belmont Park today, I’ve got some news that might be a bit of a shock if you haven't been following the New York circuit lately. Basically, there are no horses at Belmont. No jockeys. No $2 tickets being ripped up in frustration.
The place is a giant construction zone.
Honestly, it's kinda surreal to see the "Big Sandy" without any action, but the reality of January 15, 2026, is that Belmont Park is currently mid-facelift. They aren't just painting the walls; they’ve literally torn down the old, massive grandstand to build something smaller and way more high-tech. If you’re looking for where the NYRA action is actually happening right now, you need to look about nine miles west to Ozone Park.
Everything is happening at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Where to find the NYRA results at Belmont Park today (Technically)
Since Belmont is closed for its massive $455 million redevelopment, the "Belmont" winter and spring meets have been shifted to Aqueduct. People in the betting world usually just call it "The Big A."
👉 See also: NFL Coach of the Year Explained: Why Kevin O'Connell Won and What Happens Next
If you were hoping to see how your favorite horse did in the mud this afternoon, the results you're actually looking for are from the Aqueduct winter meet. Today, Thursday, January 15, we saw a pretty standard card for a chilly January afternoon, with the dirt playing reasonably fair.
Quick hits from the Thursday card at the Big A:
- Race 2: Autumn's Turn took the win with Jaime Rodriguez in the irons. Paying $14.08 to win, it was a solid result for those who faded the favorite, Purple and Gold.
- Race 3: The heavy favorite Atarah didn't disappoint. Linda Rice has been on a tear, and Flavien Prat guided this one home at 4/5 odds.
- Race 5: This was a bit of a wild one. Capt Jax Parrow outran his 5/1 odds to take the top spot, while the favorite, Leading Role, could only manage third.
- Race 6: Ridgewood Runner got the job done for Michelle Nevin.
The main takeaway? Even though we’re talking about results at Belmont Park today in a search bar, the physical reality is that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) is consolidating everything at Aqueduct until the new Belmont is ready.
The $455 Million Sandbox: What's happening in Elmont?
It’s easy to get frustrated when your favorite track is closed, but what they’re doing at Belmont is actually pretty cool. They aren't just rebuilding a stadium; they are basically reinventing how horse racing looks in the Northeast.
The old building was huge. Like, way too huge. It was built for an era where 50,000 people showed up on a Tuesday. Now, the new grandstand is going to be roughly a third of the size. It's meant to feel "boutique" and modern.
What the "New" Belmont looks like right now:
- The Grandstand: As of this week, they’ve topped out the structure. They’re currently wrapping the third floor in glass.
- The Surfaces: This is the big win for gamblers. They’ve finished the new one-mile Tapeta (synthetic) track. This is huge because it means fewer "off-the-turf" disasters where your 10-horse field turns into a 3-horse boring fest because of a little rain.
- The Infield: For the first time ever, fans will be able to access the infield via tunnels. Think of it like the Kentucky Derby infield, but hopefully with fewer mud-covered college students.
When does racing actually return to Belmont?
If you're tired of checking Aqueduct results, you have a little over eight months to wait. The official "Soft Opening" for the new Belmont Park is slated for Friday, September 18, 2026.
It’s going to be a weird year for the schedule. Since they need the construction to stay on track, the Belmont Stakes is heading back to Saratoga again this June. That'll be the third year in a row at the Spa. Honestly, Saratoga in June is a vibe, but it’s definitely not the 1.5-mile "Test of the Champion" we're used to.
Once September hits, the Belmont fall meet will kick off the new era. But fair warning: it’s going to be a "limited capacity" situation. Only the first two floors of the new grandstand will be open to the public while they finish the luxury suites upstairs.
Why the Aqueduct results matter for the future
You might think the winter races at Aqueduct are just "filler" while we wait for the Triple Crown, but they’re actually a testing ground. NYRA is using this final year at Aqueduct to transition trainers toward the new surfaces they’ll find at Belmont.
The introduction of the Tapeta track at Belmont (which is already installed but not being raced on yet) is going to change everything. When the winter meet moves from Aqueduct to the new Belmont in December 2026, we’re going to see a lot more consistency. Fewer injuries, larger fields, and better betting pools.
Actionable insights for NYRA bettors
If you're playing the New York circuit while Belmont is under construction, here’s how to handle it:
- Watch the Linda Rice Factor: At Aqueduct right now, Linda Rice is the queen. If you're looking at results and seeing her name everywhere, don't be surprised. She excels in these winter grinds.
- Ignore "Track Bias" from old Belmont: If you're used to how horses ran at the old Belmont, throw that data out. The new surfaces are being built with completely different drainage systems (200 dry wells!). The old "Big Sandy" is gone, and the new dirt track is going to play differently.
- Track the Tapeta: Keep an eye on horses that have run well at Gulfstream or Turfway on the synthetic. Those horses are going to be absolute gold when Belmont reopens with its new all-weather surface later this year.
The search for results at Belmont Park today might lead you to a construction site for now, but the data coming out of Aqueduct is the blueprint for what's coming this fall. Keep your eyes on the Big A, but keep your calendar marked for September 18. That's when the "real" Belmont results finally come back.
Check the official NYRA website or Equibase for the full charts of today's Aqueduct races to see exactly how the payouts shook out for the late Pick 4 and Pick 5.