No tickets to be sold ontrack Belmont Stakes Day

ELMONT, N.Y. – As of noon Monday, there were still just more than 19,000 general admission tickets available for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. But even if they are not all sold by Saturday, no tickets will be sold at the track on that day, the New York Racing Association announced over the weekend.

Tickets may still be purchased through Ticketmaster on Saturday, provided the event has not sold out.

“If you don’t have a ticket, don’t come to Belmont Park on June 6,” said NYRA spokesman John Durso Jr., who encouraged fans to buy their tickets beforehand.

NYRA previously announced that it’s capping Belmont Stakes Day attendance at 90,000 in an effort to avoid the issues that occurred at last year’s Belmont, including selling out of food and beverage; fans sitting in other fans’ seats; long lines at the restrooms; and the traffic and transit nightmare that had many fans waiting for hours to leave the grounds.

Durso said NYRA is doing all it can via traditional and social media to convey the message that tickets will not be sold ontrack Saturday. Durso said NYRA also is working with the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Long Island Rail Road to get that message out. There will be electronic signs in place along Hempstead Turnpike, right outside the Belmont property, to convey the message the event is sold out if that happens.

Durso repeated the NYRA warning that even with a cap of 90,000 fans there will still be delays for fans entering and exiting the track.

“For that reason, we strongly encourage all of our fans to plan ahead and give themselves plenty of time to get to Belmont Park – and to leave Belmont Park,” Durso said.