The Belmont Stakes is a Group 1 contest that is the final leg of the American Triple Crown. This 1m 4f is for 3yos only and is known as The Run for the Carnations. It is held three weeks after the Preakness Stakes, usually on the first or second Saturday of June. The reigning Belmont Stakes champion is 2024 Triple Crown winner Justify.
If you are thinking about having a bet on the race our Belmont Stakes betting guide is worth a read. We look at every aspect of the Belmont Stakes, from previous winners to interesting trends and facts and everything in between. Whether you are a seasoned punter or a racing novice, keep on reading to find out more about one of the most important races in the US calendar.
Top 7 Belmont Stakes Betting Sites UK
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Belmont Stakes Previous Winners – 2009-2024
Year |
Horse – Jockey |
Trainer | |
2024 |
Justify |
M Smith |
B Baffert |
2017 |
Tapwrit |
J Ortiz |
T Pletcher |
2016 |
Creator |
I Ortiz Jr |
S Asmussen |
2015 |
American Pharoah |
V Espinoza |
B Baffert |
2014 |
Tonalist |
J Rosario |
C Clement |
2013 |
Palace Malice |
M Smith |
T Pletcher |
2012 |
Union Rags |
J Velazquez |
M Matz |
2011 |
Ruler On Ice |
J Valdivia Jr |
K Breen |
2010 |
Drosselmeyer |
M Smith |
W Mott |
2009 |
Summer Bird |
K Desormeaux |
T Ice |
Belmont Stakes Famous Past Winners
- Secretariat completed the Triple Crown in 1973 and is one of the most famous winners of all time.
- Seattle Slew also took the Triple Crown when winning the Belmont Stakes in 1977.
- The legendary Man o’ War won the Belmont Stakes in 1920 and scored by a then record margin of 20 lengths.
- The first horse to complete the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes was Sir Barton in 1919.
- Only three fillies have won the Belmont Stakes, Ruthless (1867), Tanya (1905) and Rags To Riches (2007).
Belmont Stakes Facts And Records
The purse for the 2019 Belmont Stakes will be $1.5 million with a tasty first prize of $800k going to the victor. Most of the records were set in the early days of the race. The most successful Belmont Stakes riders of all time are Eddie Arcaro and Jim McLaughlin who both won it six times. The leading Belmont Stakes trainer is James G Rowe Sr with an impressive eight wins.
Belair Stud and James R Keene are the leading owners with six wins apiece in the Belmont Stakes. Julie Krone became the first lady jockey to win a Triple Crown race when taking the Belmont Stakes back in 1993 on Colonial Affair. The record attendance was 120,139 in 2004 when Birdstone came home in front.
Belmont Stakes Facts and Stats
- Secretariat not only holds the record winning time of 2m 24 secs, he also won by a record distance of 31 lengths.
- The biggest shock result came when Sarava derailed War Emblem’s Triple Crown Bid at odds of 70/1.
- Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert are the most successful modern day trainers with three wins each.
- Veteran jockeys Mike Smith and Gary Stevens have won the Belmont Stakes three times each.
When and where is the Belmont Stakes held?
The Belmont Stakes is run at Belmont Racecourse in New York every year on the first or second weekend in June. The 151st renewal was run in 2024 and Justify ran out an impressive winner. The first Belmont Stakes was run at Jerome Park in the Bronx in 1867. A filly named Ruthless won the inaugural Belmont Stakes.
The race was moved to Morris Park in 1890 until Belmont Park opened in 1905. Due to the banning of gambling in New York the race was cancelled in 1911 and 1912. The distance has been 1m 4f since 1926 and since 2014 the purse has been $1.5 million.
In 2019 the Belmont Stakes was run at Belmont Racecourse on Saturday June 8th. It is known as the ‘Run for the Carnations’ because of the long standing tradition of presenting the winning horse with a blanket of white carnations. It is the oldest of the three Triple Crown Races and the official theme song is Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York, New York’.
When we were putting this article together no prices were online for the 2019 Belmont Stakes. Usually the markets are formed after the Kentucky Derby and whoever runs well there (and in the Preakness) will be at the forefront of the Belmont Stakes betting market. Check out some of the key Belmont Stakes trends in the next section if you need a hand trying to pick out the winner…
Belmont Stakes Trends
Lots of shrewd punters use trends to narrow the field in races they are considering having a bet on. Our racing experts looked back at the past results to see if any patterns have emerged. If you want to find out some interesting Belmont Stakes trends you can check them in our list below…
- Of just 23 fillies to have run in the Belmont Stakes, 3 have won so keep an eye out for the girls in this one.
- In recent times Gary Stevens and Mike Smith have been two jockeys to follow in the Belmont Stakes.
- Trainers Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher have a good recent Belmont Stakes record and their runners should always be respected.
- American bred horses have dominated in the Belmont Stakes, with just 9 of the 150 winners being bred elsewhere.
- The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown Races at 12f, so look out for horses that were staying on late in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Belmont Stakes Betting Sites
If you are searching for a brilliant Belmont Stakes betting site you should take a number of factors into consideration. Before signing up you should look at the quality of odds and depth of markets. Streaming is available with certain bookies, while welcome bonuses and promos for existing customers are important too.
Our experts have reviewed countless betting sites and examined their individual strengths and weaknesses. If you are thinking about opening a new account, we recommend that you check out our top 7 Belmont Stakes betting sites as chosen by our analysts above.
How To Bet On The Belmont Stakes
If you are a horse racing betting novice it can be daunting trying to choose the best way to bet on the Belmont Stakes. There are a large selection of markets and bet types to choose from. Win, place and each way bets are the most common wager types, but exotics are popular too. You can win big for small stakes on exotic bets, though they are harder to land.
Some bookmakers will run promotions for the Belmont Stakes and they are always worth taking advantage of. Some betting sites will offer money back if a certain horse wins, while others will offer extra places for each way bets. If you are wondering how to bet on the Belmont Stakes, check out our easy to follow guide below…
Betting On The Belmont Stakes: Win, SP, Place And Each Way
Okay, so you have studied the form for the Belmont stakes and you think you have unearthed the winner. What next? Well, you have a number of options when it comes to having a bet. Punters can choose from win, place, each way or SP (show) bets.
If you think your horse can win, then a straight win bet is the way to go. You can take a price or else you can place an SP (starting price bet). If your bookie pays best odds guaranteed we recommend taking an early price. If it wins and drifts you will get the better price, but if you back a horse at SP and it shortens in the betting, you will only get paid at the official starting price.
Place bets allow punters to bet on a horse to finish in the first three, while each way bets split your stake between the win and place markets. In order to get a return on an each way bet your horse has to finish in the first three. You will get paid at 1/5 odds in Group 1 races and shop around, because some bookies may pay out on the first four home rather than the first three.
Betting On The Belmont Stakes: Exotic Bets
Sometimes a race is very hard to call, and that can often be the case in the Belmont Stakes. If you narrow the field down to two or three possible winners, an exotic bet could be the way forward. The two most commonly placed exotic wagers are forecasts (exactas) or tricasts (trifectas).
If you manage to single out two horses that you think will fill the first two places, a reverse forecast is the bet to place. This means that they can finish first and second in any order. A straight forecast (or exacta) requires you to predict the first two home in the correct order. A reverse forecast consists of two bets, so a £5 reverse forecast will set you back £10.
If you think you have singled out the first three finishers in the right order, a trifecta is the way to go. If you are unsure about the finishing order, a combination tricast is the wager you should place. If your three selections fill the first three places in any order you will usually be richly rewarded. A combo tricast contains six bets, so a £10 combination tricast will cost £60.
Betting On The Belmont Stakes: Specials And Enhanced Offers
Keep an eye out for special offers and promotions for the Belmont Stakes in the days preceding the race. Coral, for example, have extensive coverage and streaming of US racing. They often have extra place specials and they also have a nice sign up offer for new customers.
William Hill are also up there with the best when it comes to Belmont Stakes betting promotions. Their odds boost feature has proved to be very popular with punters and you can use it to boost the price of your Belmont Stakes bet. Better still, William Hill have live streaming and their own radio channel, so you won’t miss a minute of racing action if you sign up with them.
Betfair is another bookmaker that is likely to have sensational specials for the Belmont Stakes. They often have money back offers if a hot favourite wins, while extra place specials for each way bets are also common. Those looking for a perfect Belmont Stakes betting site could do worse than taking a chance on Coral, Betfair or William Hill.
Latest Belmont Stakes Odds
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, no betting sites had odds for the Belmont Stakes. Once the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes have been running the Belmont Stakes picture should become a lot clearer. Our horse racing tipsters will preview the 2019 Belmont Stakes as soon as prices become available.
If you need a Triple Crown fix before then, you should have a look at our dedicated Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes betting guides. Not only do we reveal the best betting sites, we also look at the main contenders for the Kentucky Derby. Our racing analysts have posted a nice each way ante-post tip for the Kentucky Derby, so visit the page and check it out now!!
Belmont Stakes FAQs
What is post time for the Belmont Stakes 2020?
The Belmont Stakes is the final leg of the Triple Crown and it is run over 12f at Belmont Racecourse. No start time has yet been confirmed for the 2019 Belmont Stakes. In 2024 the post time for the Belmont Stakes was 23.46 (UK Time). The 2020 Belmont Stakes will likely start at the same time, but make sure to check back here for updates closer to the race.
Where can I watch the Belmont Stakes live?
At The Races held the rights for US racing in the UK up until the end of 2024. In 2019 the channel was relaunched as Sky Sports Racing and you will be able to watch the Belmont Stakes live there. For those who like to bet and watch on the move, you can stream the Belmont Stakes with a number of betting sites, including Betfair. All that is required is the placement of a qualifying bet and you can stream the Belmont Stakes live via your mobile or desktop device.
Where can I find the best Belmont Stakes Betting Odds?
There were no odds available for the 2019 Belmont Stakes when we were writing this article. However, in general, Betfair are one of the most generous bookmakers when it comes to betting on the Belmont Stakes. Their ante-post prices are always competitive and they usually have some cool promotions too. bet365 are also worth a mention, especially for those who like betting on horses at bigger odds.