The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and Chester Racecourse have formed a new partnership linking the Boodles May Festival at Chester with the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course. This collaboration offers automatic, fees-paid berths for winners of key Chester races—the Ormonde Stakes and the Huxley Stakes—into prestigious Belmont Stakes Festival races, enhancing international racing connections and providing owners and trainers attractive opportunities to compete globally. The partnership highlights the historic significance of both venues, with Chester being the world’s oldest operational racecourse and Saratoga one of North America’s premier racing meets.

The Boodles May Festival runs from May 6-8 at Chester, featuring top middle-distance contests, while the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival spans June 3-7 at Saratoga, showcasing 25 stakes races including the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes. This year, Saratoga hosts the Belmont Stakes Festival temporarily due to Belmont Park renovations, with the festival returning to Belmont in 2027 alongside the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The partnership aims to strengthen international racing ties and elevate the profile of both festivals, supported by extensive media coverage and NYRA’s significant role in the horse racing industry.