Aqueduct Racetrack: Final Days Before It Closes Forever event image
Aqueduct Racetrack, South Ozone Park, Queens

Aqueduct Racetrack: Final Days Before It Closes Forever

New York City loses its last racetrack after 132 years. Live racing ended in June; NYRA keeps the doors open for simulcast through Labor Day Monday and then that is it. Admission is free.

Wikimedia Commons image; Public domain; attribution: New York City Transit Authority; source page: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aqueduct_Racetrack_poster.jpg

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Aqueduct opened in 1894 and ran its last race on June 28, closing 132 years of thoroughbred racing and leaving New York City without a track. NYRA keeps the building open for simulcast wagering through Labor Day Monday, September 7 - and then that is the end of it. This is the last weekend anyone can walk in, and admission is free.

What to expect

No horses run - live racing ended June 28, and the only activity inside is simulcast wagering on races from other venues. NYRA has not published which floors, windows or food outlets stay open for the final stretch, and Equestris on the third floor is already closed. Treat it as a last look at a mostly empty building, not an event.

Good to know

  • Admission to Aqueduct is free, per NYRA; the Longshots simulcast center on the 2nd floor is $10, or $5 for NYRA Bets members.
  • NYRA publishes the closing window but not a per-day schedule for the final stretch - call or check nyra.com/aqueduct before making the trip.
  • No farewell programming: the commemorative send-off ran on closing weekend, June 27-28.
  • A train, Far Rockaway branch only, to Aqueduct-North Conduit Av. On-site parking is typically free.

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Common questions

Will there be live horse racing?

No. Aqueduct ran its final live race on Sunday, June 28, 2026. Only simulcast wagering on races from other tracks remains.

When exactly does it close?

NYRA states Aqueduct remains open for simulcasting through Monday, September 7 - Labor Day. After that, New York City has no racetrack for the first time in 132 years.

How much is it to get in?

Admission to Aqueduct is free. The Longshots simulcast center on the second floor is $10, or $5 for NYRA Bets members.