When a horse Wins both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and his connections decide to participate in the Belmont Stakes, there is a ripple effect throughout the industry.

Triple Crown attempts have a tremendous impact on the Belmont Stakes, on-track business, total wagering, local commerce and television viewership.

The last horse that went for the Triple Crown was JUSTIFY in 2018. He successfully swept the series that year and 15 million viewers tuned in to watch the race telecast on NBC.

When SMARTY JONES went for the Triple Crown in 2004 the Belmont Stakes telecast on NBC attracted 21.9 million viewers, the highest since SEATTLE SLEW took the TC in 1977.

For the third consecutive year FOX had the broadcasting rights to the Belmont Stakes and for the third consecutive year the Triple Crown was not on the line.

That said, the FOX viewership peaked at Post Time when 5.0 million viewers tuned in to watch Kentucky Derby Winner SOVEREIGNTY overpower Preakness Winner JOURNALISM to take the Belmont.

While those numbers are less than the TV audience for this year’s Kentucky Derby (21.8 million peak for the race) and Preakness (5.9 million peak), viewership for the Belmont Stakes telecast on FOX coverage grew by 5 percent from 2024, from 3.7 million to 3.8 million.

The three FOX telecasts have the lowest viewing audience for the Belmont Stakes in modern history – with the exception of the COVID year telecast in 2020 when the Belmont was the first leg of a rescheduled late summer/early fall Triple Crown.