The 2025 Belmont Stakes is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 7. This running marks a significant temporary change in location, moving from its long-time home at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, to Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
This relocation is necessary to allow for uninterrupted construction and renovation work at Belmont Park. The distance of the race is also altered for 2025, set at 1 1/4 miles, a reduction from the traditional 1 1/2 miles. Despite these venue and distance adjustments, the Belmont Stakes remains a cornerstone event as the third jewel of the Triple Crown.
Belmont’s Legacy and Traditional Challenges
Steeped in tradition, the Belmont Stakes is widely known as the “Test of the Champion.” First run in 1867, it holds the distinction of being the oldest of the three Triple Crown races. Since 1926, it has typically been contested at its hallmark distance of 1½ miles—a grueling challenge that tests a horse’s stamina more than any other Triple Crown leg. Most three-year-olds have never raced that far, making endurance just as critical as speed.
Although Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, has been the race’s long-time home, the 2025 edition will once again be held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs due to ongoing renovations at Belmont Park. As a result of the venue change, the race distance has been shortened to 1¼ miles to accommodate Saratoga’s track layout.
The final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes has occasionally morphed to match existing conditions. For instance, in 2020, pandemic-related rescheduling placed the race first in the Triple Crown lineup and shortened its distance to 1⅛ miles. Despite these changes, the Belmont remains a marquee event on the racing calendar, regularly drawing large crowds—such as the 90,327 fans who attended in 2018.
Navigating Belmont Betting Options
Betting on the Belmont Stakes, one of the biggest horse racing events in the U.S., involves understanding different wagering systems.
The Belmont primarily utilizes a parimutuel odds format, where bets are pooled together, and payouts are determined by the total amount wagered on all horses.
This differs from the fixed odds betting common in most sports, where the payout price is locked in when the bet is placed. While parimutuel betting remains the standard at racetracks and many online platforms, sportsbooks increasingly offer fixed odds on major horse races, a trend that gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parimutuel Wagering Explained
In the parimutuel system, bettors are essentially wagering against one another. All bets on a race are pooled, and after a percentage is deducted by the operator, the remainder is distributed among the winners. A key feature is that payout odds aren’t final until betting closes—so the odds you see when placing your bet can shift based on late wagering activity.
Fixed Odds at Sportsbooks
Fixed odds betting, familiar to sports bettors, offers predictability. When you place a fixed odds bet on a horse, the price shown at that moment is the price you will be paid if your horse wins, regardless of subsequent changes in the betting market.
Fixed odds betting, commonly found at sportsbooks, offers price certainty—whatever odds are displayed at the time you place your bet are the odds you’ll be paid if your horse wins.
Parimutuel wagering remains the standard at racetracks and traditional racing platforms. However, the volume of 2025 betting on the Belmont Stakes (and its historic popularity), has led reputable sportsbooks like Fanduel to offer fixed odds. These two systems now coexist, giving bettors the flexibility to choose between fluctuating pool-based payouts and fixed, locked-in prices.
Profiling the 2025 Belmont Contenders
The field for the 2025 Belmont Stakes includes several prominent three-year-olds. Sierra Leone, trained by Chad Brown, is a leading contender, having narrowly lost the Kentucky Derby by a nose. Journalism, who finished second in the Derby, won the Preakness Stakes and is expected to compete in the Belmont, setting up a potential rematch with Derby winner Sovereignty, who skipped the Preakness to focus on the Belmont.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, a four-time Belmont Stakes winner, is likely to enter Mindframe, an undefeated colt showing significant promise. However, Fierceness, another Pletcher trainee and the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby, is not expected to run in the Belmont, as his connections have opted to give him more time before his next start. Thorpedo Anna, the Kentucky Oaks winner, is not anticipated to participate in the Belmont Stakes.
Essential Handicapping Factors
Analyzing the contenders for the Belmont Stakes requires considering factors relevant to the distance and venue. Although the 2025 race is shorter than usual at 1 1/4 miles, it still demands stamina and presents a challenge for many three-year-olds who haven’t raced over this distance. Evaluating a horse’s pedigree for indications of distance capability is paramount.
Familiarity with the specific track configuration and surface at Saratoga Race Course can also be a beneficial factor, as demonstrated by the 2024 Belmont winner, Dornoch, who won at Saratoga. Running style is another key element to consider when assessing how a horse might handle the pace and distance of the race.
Pedigree and Distance Ability
Given the significant distance of the Belmont Stakes, even at 1 1/4 miles for 2025, a horse’s breeding provides critical clues about their potential effectiveness. Handicappers examine the performance of the sire and the mare’s family at longer distances to gauge a horse’s inherited stamina.
A sire with progeny that have won at 1 1/8 miles or longer, or a sire who himself won classic distances, is a positive sign. Keep an eye on Sandman at Belmont. This horse is a son of Tapit who won the Arkansas Derby, placed second in the Southwest Stakes, and finished third in both the Preakness Stakes and Rebel Stakes.
Track Familiarity and Running Style
While the traditional “Big Sandy” surface at Belmont Park is challenging, running at Saratoga introduces different track characteristics. Experience or proven form at Saratoga can offer a slight advantage. Regarding running style, horses often need tactical speed to be competitive in the Belmont. While pure front-runners might face pressure, horses that sit too far off the pace can find themselves with too much ground to cover in the stretch, making it difficult to win.
Betting the Belmont Online
Betting on the Belmont Stakes online offers a convenient alternative to wagering at the track or at traditional OTB locations. Many online sportsbooks and racebooks provide platforms for placing bets on the race.
Bettors can choose from a variety of options, including straight bets like Win, Place (top two), and Show (top three). More advanced exotic bets include Exactas (first two in order), Trifectas (first three in order), and multi-race wagers like the Daily Double or Pick Six.
Sportsbooks also feature fixed odds options such as Futures, Matchup bets between two horses, and various Prop bets. Most platforms offer mobile apps for easy, on-the-go access.
Tradition Meets Change in 2025
The 2025 Belmont Stakes promises to uphold its legacy as a true test of equine excellence, even with the temporary venue and distance changes. With a strong field of talented three-year-olds, expert trainers, and evolving betting options, this year’s race will continue to captivate racing fans and bettors alike. Whether at Saratoga or Belmont, the Belmont Stakes remains a thrilling finale to the Triple Crown season, blending tradition with the excitement of new challenges.
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