Get ready for one of the most exciting weekends of summer racing—Saratoga’s July 4th Racing Festival is here, and the Racing Dudes have all the expert picks and analysis you need to cash in big.
Traditionally held at Belmont Park, the 2025 July 4th Festival shifts to iconic Saratoga Race Course this year while Belmont undergoes redevelopment. The four-day event, running Thursday, July 3 through Sunday, July 6, sets the stage for the full Saratoga summer meet, which officially kicks off on Thursday, July 10.
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This special festival features 10 stakes races, including seven graded stakes, highlighted by two prestigious Grade 1 turf showdowns:
- $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1) (3-year-olds, Friday)
- $500,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1) (3-year-old fillies, Saturday)
Friday also includes the $400,000 Suburban (G2), featuring top older horses like Locked, Honor Marie and Antiquarian.
Saratoga’s signature 2-year-old dirt sprints—the Schuylerville and Sanford (G3)—have been moved up to this festival, offering a sneak peek at rising juvenile stars.
Other graded action includes:
- $175,000 Victory Ride (G3) (Thursday)
- $200,000 Manila (G3) (Friday)
- $175,000 Kelso (G3) (Saturday)
With wall-to-wall stakes, top-tier fields, and patriotic flair, Saratoga’s July 4th weekend promises to deliver fireworks on and off the track.
🎯 Don’t go in blind—get dialed in with RacingDudes.com. Our experts will have full picks, previews, Rockets and Bombs, and betting strategies for every race all weekend long, plus full coverage of the entire Saratoga meet. Whether you’re playing multi-race wagers or targeting key stakes, let Racing Dudes guide you to the winner’s circle.
