Picnic bundles now available for fans attending Belmont Stakes Racing Festival

by Pat McKenna, Mark Bardack

Fans may choose from three picnic offerings catered by Mazzone Hospitality

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that Belmont picnic bundles will be available by pre-order for fans attending the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at historic Saratoga Race Course.

Belmont picnic bundles may be ordered exclusively online via Spoonfed now through noon on Thursday, May 30, and picked up during designated times each day of the four-day festival in the backyard of Saratoga Race Course near the Big Red Spring. Picnic bundles are only available to Belmont Stakes Racing Festival ticket holders and must be paid for in advance by credit card. No refunds are available.

Meanwhile, fans can now secure six-person tables in the reserved picnic paddock for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on the following days: 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 table, which may be reserved through Ticketmaster.com. Reserved tables for Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 8, were previously allocated via a sales drawing.

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 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Belmont picnic bundles include the following options:

The Morning Workout ($90) : The menu features six 12-ounce mixed-berry yogurt parfaits; four jumbo pull-apart cinnamon rolls with vanilla glaze; four smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches and six jumbo frittata egg muffins. Serves four to six people and includes six bottles of water.

Trackside ($150): The menu features two roasted turkey and brie sandwiches; two Italian-mixed sandwiches featuring ham, spicy capicola, salami and sharp provolone; two all-white-meat chicken salad sandwiches; two grilled vegetable wraps with eggplant, squash, roasted peppers and garlic white bean hummus; Mediterranean chickpea salad; coleslaw; chocolate chip cookies; and Saratoga Kettle Chips. All dressings and condiments are provided. Serves six people and includes six bottles of water.

Triple Crown Nosh ($180): The menu features locally sourced cheese and charcuterie, including dried fruits, honey, nuts, berries, olives, and seasonal accoutrements; artichoke parmesan dip with rosemary crackers and grissini breadsticks; bruschetta with garlic basil seasoned heritage tomatoes, red onion, sea salt, focaccia toasts, shaved parmesan Reggiano and olive oil; roasted garlic chickpea hummus with pita chips, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, corn chips and flour tortillas. Serves four to six people and includes six bottles of water.

The schedule for picnic bundle pick-ups near the Big Red Spring in the backyard is as follows: Thursday, June 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday, June 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Sunday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Picnic bundles cannot be modified and include disposable plates, napkins and flatware. Menu items include gluten and nut products. Fans with questions about other allergies may call 518-690-0293 for more information.

Coolers no larger than 12”x18” containing food and non-alcoholic beverages are permitted in the venue. Additional chairs, pop-up tents or umbrellas are strictly prohibited in the reserved picnic table section. However, one folding chair per person is allowed in the general backyard where all other picnic tables will be available for free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets on Saturday, June 8, the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will begin on Thursday, June 6 and continue through Sunday, June 9.

The four-day Festival at Saratoga Race Course will include 24 stakes races with purses totaling 10.25 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival in 2014.

For more information about the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, visit BelmontStakes.com.