As the oldest and final leg of the fabled American Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby and Preakness), the Belmont Stakes carries significant weight in the quest for Thoroughbred racing immortality.
Although another year will pass without a Triple Crown champion – Justify last claimed the title in 2018 – the 157th renewal of the Belmont is flush with captivating storylines.
Headlined by the rubber match between Kentucky Derby victor Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism on Saturday, June 7, the 1 ¼-mile contest for premier 3-year-olds is surrounded by seven more graded stakes, including three Grade 1 level bouts.
Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York will host a grand total of 27 stakes races with purses totalling $11,275,000 across the five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (June 4 through June 8).
Send the 2025 Triple Crown season off in style by catching up on all things Belmont, Saratoga, and more, right here on bet365.
The 2025 Belmont will be run on Saturday, June 7.
Post time for the 2025 Belmont is 6:35 PM ET.
The 2025 Belmont will be held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York for the second consecutive year.
The race moved to Saratoga in 2024 to accommodate for construction to its original home, Belmont Park, located in Elmont, New York.
Like its predecessor the Preakness, the Belmont boasts a guaranteed purse of $2 million.
Here’s how the prize money is distributed by finishing position:
1st Place: $1.2 million
2nd Place: $360,000
3rd Place: $200,000
4th Place: $100,000
5th Place: $60,000
6th Place: $40,000
7th Place: $20,000
8th Place: $20,000
The 2025 Belmont will be broadcast live on Ignite World Racing via Sportsnet ONE, City TV, and FOX.
Television coverage begins at 4 PM ET on CITY TV (Canada), and 2:30 PM ET on FOX (United States).
Leading off with six graded stakes on Friday before diving into eight more adrenaline-packed graded tilts, headlined by the 157th Belmont, on Saturday, Saratoga isn’t cutting any corners on the final Triple Crown weekend of 2025.
Take stock of what each pulse-pounding race day has to offer in the detailed schedule below.
Friday, June 6
New York
Purse: $750,000
Distance: 1 3/16 miles
Grade: 1
Age: 4+
Surface: Turf
Ogden Phipps
Purse: $500,000
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Grade: 1
Age: 4+
Surface: Dirt
Acorn
Purse: $500,000
Distance: 1 1/8 miles
Grade: 1
Age: 3
Surface: Dirt
Just a Game
Purse: $500,000
Distance: 1 mile
Grade: 1
Age: 4+
Surface: Turf
Bed o’ Roses
Purse: $300,000
Distance: 7 furlongs
Grade: 2
Age: 4+
Surface: Dirt
Belmont Gold Cup
Purse: $250,000
Distance: 2 miles
Grade: 2
Age: 4+
Surface: Turf
Saturday, June 7
Belmont Stakes
Purse: $2 million
Distance: 1 1/4 miles
Grade: 1
Age: 3
Surface: Dirt
Manhattan
Purse: $1 million
Distance: 1 3/16 miles
Grade: 1
Age: 4+
Surface: Turf
Metropolitan Handicap
Purse: $1 million
Distance: 1 mile
Grade: 1
Age: 3+
Surface: Dirt
Woody Stephens
Purse: $500,000
Distance: 7 furlongs
Grade: 1
Age: 3
Surface: Dirt
Jaipur
Purse: $500,000
Distance: 5 1/2 furlongs
Grade: 1
Age: 3+
Surface: Turf
Wonder Again
Purse: $300,000
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Grade: 2
Age: 3
Surface: Turf
True North
Purse: $400,000
Distance: 6 1/2 furlongs
Grade: 3
Age: 4+
Surface: Dirt
Pennine Ridge
Purse: $300,000
Distance: 1 1/16 miles
Grade: 3
Age: 3
Surface: Turf
The Belmont Stakes may be the final leg of the American Triple Crown, but its history spans back the furthest of all the races in the coveted championship triad (Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes).
First run in 1867 at Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx, New York, the race was named after American politician, diplomat, and financier August Belmont.
The inaugural edition of the Belmont was claimed by Ruthless, a hall of fame racehorse and the first of three fillies to ever win the nearly 160-year-old race. Tanya, in 1905, became the second filly to win the Belmont. It then took 102 years for Rags to Riches (2007) to break through as the third – and to date, most recent – filly to join the illustrious club.
Part of what makes the Belmont unique is that it has been contested over a handful of different distances over the years, starting with the maiden running at 1 5/8 miles. That marker held firm for the next four editions. In the years that followed, the Belmont was contested at 1 1/2 miles, 1 1/4 miles, 1 1/8 miles, and 1 3/8 miles.
The race returned to 1 1/4 miles in 2024 after being held at 1 1/2 from 2021-2023.
Following the theme of change, the Belmont has also moved around several racetracks. The list includes Jerome Park (1867-1889), Morris Park Racecourse (1890-1904), the original Belmont Park (1905-1910; 1913-1962), Aqueduct (1963-1967), the current Belmont Park (1968-2023), and Saratoga Racecourse (2024-2025).
The race achieved significant notoriety in the mid-1930s when the Triple Crown moniker gained traction as the revered prize in Thoroughbred racing.
As the third, and final challenge of the prestigious Triple Crown, the Belmont is often called the “Test of the Champion.”
A total of 30 marquee racehorses have galloped into the Belmont with a chance at racing immortality, but only 13 have been able to complete racing’s grandest trifecta – the last being Justify in 2018.ght to Pimlico under guard for the annual running of the Preakness.
Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Race Course is the centrepiece of a city steeped in history.
The area famous for its pristine mineral springs and bustling tourism scene quickly became synonymous with the time-tested tradition of Thoroughbred racing following its inaugural meet some 161 years ago.
On August 3, 1863, Saratoga Race Course opened its doors for the first card of its maiden four-day meet. For the American history enthusiasts out there, opening day at Saratoga came exactly one month after the Battle of Gettysburg concluded.
The brainchild of ex-boxing champion and future congressman John “Old Smoke” Morrisey was an immediate success, drawing thousands of locals and tourists who witnessed Lizzie W. defeat Captain Moore in the best-of-three series of races.
Inspired by the resounding triumph, Morrissey summoned the aid of his friends John R. Hunter, William Travers and Leonard Jerome, who together formed the Saratoga Association.
While the track faced myriad challenges in the late 1800s, it persevered to reclaim its position as one of the United States’ premier sporting destinations.
Saratoga took a major step forward in 1940 when it introduced parimutuel betting machines. Twenty years later, the grandstand was extended, doubling the seating capacity.
Today, Saratoga, which in 1999 was ranked as Sports Illustrated’s No. 10 sports venue of the 20th century, holds 50,000 people.
The raceway has also acquired various nicknames over the years, including The Spa (callback to the mineral springs), the House of Upsets, and Graveyard of Champions.
Several champion racehorses have endured unexpected losses at Saratoga, most notably Man o’ War (1919 Sanford Stakes), Gallant Fox (1930 Travers Stakes), Secretariat (1973 Whitney Handicap), Rachel Alexandra (2010 Personal Ensign Stakes), and American Pharoah (2015 Travers).
Saratoga is equipped with three separate tracks: a 1 1/8-mile dirt track (main), 1-mile turf course (known as Mellon Turf Course), and a 7-furlong inner turf track.
The trio of tracks supports a bevy of standout stakes each year, including a healthy slate of Grade 1 contests in the Alabama, Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Fourstardave, Hopeful, Spinaway, Test, Travers, and Whitney.
Saratoga is the fourth-oldest racetrack in the United States.
2024: Dornoch – Luis Saez – Danny Gargan
2023: Arcangelo – Javier Castellano – Jena M. Antonucci
2022: Mo Donegal – Irad Ortiz Jr. – Todd A. Pletcher
2021: Essential Quality – Luis Saez – Brad H. Cox
2020: Tiz the Law – Manuel Franco – Barclay Tagg
2019: Sir Winston – Joel Rosario – Mark Casse
2018: Justify – Mike Smith – Bob Baffert
2017: Tapwrit – José Ortiz – Todd A. Pletcher
2016: Creator – Irad Ortiz Jr. – Steve Asmussen
2015: American Pharoah – Victor Espinoza – Bob Baffert
2014: Tonalist – Joel Rosario – Christophe Clement
2013: Palace Malice – Mike Smith – Todd A. Pletcher
2012: Union Rags – John R. Velazquez – Michael Matz
2011: Ruler on Ice – Jose Valdivia Jr. – Kelly Breen
2010: Drosselmeyer – Mike Smith – Bill Mott
Most wins (Horse): No horse has won the Belmont twice as the race is restricted to 3-year-olds
Largest margin of victory: 31 lengths – Secretariat (1973)
Fastest time (varies by distance): 1 1/2 miles (2:24, Secretariat, 1973); 1 3/8 miles (2:14.20, Man o’ War, 1920); 1 1/4 miles (2:01.64, Dornoch, 2024), 1 1/8 miles (1:46.53, Tiz the Law, 2020)
Most wins by a jockey: 6, two jockeys tied – Eddie Arcaro (1941, 1942, 1945, 1948, 1952, 1955); Jim McLaughlin (1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888)
Most wins by a trainer: 8 – James G. Rowe Sr. (1883, 1884, 1901, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1913)
Most wins by an owner: 6, two owners tied – Belair Stud (1930, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1939, 1955); James R. Keene (1879, 1901, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1910)
First Belmont winner: Ruthless, 1867 (by a head)
Read the latest horse racing news on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Woodbine Entertainment Group.
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