The Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday, June 7th.
As a matter of course the race is usually the final leg of racing’s Triple Crown, usually that is, unless a global pandemic upsets the order of things.
The race typically is held at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY but that circuit is currently undergoing a massive renovation.
That construction necessitated the shifting of its signature race to upstate New York for at least two years (2024 and 2025) where it will be held at another historic racing venue- Saratoga Race Course.
That said, here’s a look at some basic Belmont Stakes knowledge:
WHO: Elite 3-year-old Thoroughbreds. Just like the Kentucky Derby and Preakness– Winning the Belmont Stakes is literally a once-in-a-lifetime chance for horses since the race is only open to 3-year-old Thoroughbreds.
While the Belmont Stakes is open to both male and female horses, only three fillies have ever captured the race: RUTHLESS in 1867, TANYA in 1905, and most recently RAGS TO RICHES in 2007.
WHAT: The Test of the Champion. The Belmont Stakes earned the nickname Test of the Champion legitimately. The race traditionally is held at a mile and a half – the longest of the Triple Crown races and, in large part, the reason only 13 horses have Won the Triple Crown out of 35 Thoroughbreds who have come into the Belmont with Derby and Preakness Victories behind them.
Belmont Park was/is a 1 ½-mile oval, while Saratoga Race Course has a 1 1/8-mile main track, making it nearly impossible to run 1 ½-mile races on the main track. Hence, the Belmont Stakes will be shortened and held at 1 ¼ miles in 2025 as it was last June. The 1¼ is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby and the Travers Stakes– the signature race at Saratoga.
WHERE: Saratoga Springs, NY. Nestled in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains and located 40 miles north of Albany, Saratoga Springs is a place of serene natural beauty. Saratoga is easily accessible by plane, car and train. The track and town are colloquially called The Spa because the city sits on top of natural springs with waters rumored to bring good health to humans and horses.
WHEN: Saturday, June 7th. Traditionally, the Belmont Stakes is run as the third leg of the Triple Crown, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. But that’s not always the case: the pandemic of 2020 warranted that the Belmont (for the first time in its history) be contested as the first leg of the TC series. The Belmont returned to its anchor position in the Triple Crown in 2021.
WHY: NY Racing History. The very first edition of the Belmont Stakes was run at Jerome Park in the Bronx in 1867, but the race has been moved several times around New York City and its suburbs since its inception. It was held at the now-defunct Morris Park until 1905, when the race moved to the newly constructed Belmont Park in Elmont.
This year, as we’re all aware, the Belmont Stakes detours north to Saratoga for the second straight year.
