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The History of the Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is the oldest and longest of the three Triple Crown events. Inaugurated on June 19, 1867 at Jerome Park, the Belmont was later run at Morris Park and then moved to Belmont Park when the latter opened in 1905. Aqueduct served as a substitute host from 1963-67 when the Belmont Park stands were being rebuilt.

The Belmont has been run every year except in 1911-12, when racing was temporarily banned in New York. Run at various distances through the mid-1920s, the current distance of 1 1/2 miles, one lap around Belmont’s sweeping oval, has been in place since 1926.

Known as the “Test of the Champion,” the Belmont was created as New York’s equivalent of the Derby Stakes in England.

All 13 Triple Crown winners completed their series sweep in the Belmont, and many more have seen the elusive prize slip away in the long and demanding test.

The most famous of all Belmont renewals is undoubtedly Secretariat’s 31-length tour de force in the 1973 edition. His final time of 2:24 remains an American record for 1 1/2 miles on dirt, a full two seconds faster than the next-fastest clocking held jointly by Easy Goer (1989) and A.P. Indy (1992).

The first running of the Belmont in 1867 was won by the filly Ruthless. Another filly, Tanya, won the race the first time it was contested at Belmont Park in 1905, but it would be 102 more years before Rags to Riches (2007) became the third female to win.

New York was one of the last racing jurisdictions in the United States to switch from bookmaking to pari-mutuel wagering, which was instituted in time for the 1940 Belmont Stakes.

Eleven odds-on favorites have won the Belmont since 1940. The shortest-priced winner was Triple Crown hero Count Fleet (1943), who paid $2.10 after defeating two rivals.

Three horses in the pari-mutuel era have won the Belmont at odds of 50-1 or higher: Sarava (2002, $142.50), Sherluck (1961, $132.10), and Temperence Hill (1980, $108.80). Sarava and Sherluck spoiled the Triple Crown bids of War Emblem and Carry Back, respectively.

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Belmont Stakes History Details

First run in 1867, the Belmont Stakes is one of the oldest Thoroughbred races in the United States that still runs today. Fondly known as the Third Jewel of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes has a more grueling and fitting nickname – The Test of the Champion.

Many believe that the Belmont Stakes are named after Belmont Park, but the race is actually named after August Belmont Sr., a famous horseman who lived during the 19th century. Belmont Sr. founded the Belmont Stakes at Jerome Park Racetrack in 1868, where the race ran until 1890. It was then moved to Morris Park Racecourse from 1890 till 1905. After that, the Belmont Stakes settled in to its new and current home at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

The 1 ½ mile challenge is one of the most grueling races a three-year old colt can endure. The Belmont Stakes has also been run at several other distances, and was originally run at 1 5/8th miles. Race organizers settled on the 1 ½ mile distance in 1926 where it has remained since.

Crowds at the Belmont Stakes have reached as high as 103,000, such in the year War Emblem won in 2002. For various reasons, the race organizers have capped attendance at 90,000 in recent renewals. This is likely due to the unpredictable response from the mainstream.

Despite it’s standing as an American Classic, interest in the Belmont Stakes can  be tough to pinpoint. During California Chrome’s Triple Crown bid in 2014, more than $150 million was wagered over the 13-card program on Belmont Day. The following year, during American Pharoah’s own bid for immortality, the handle actually decreased to the $135 million range. In 2016, the Belmont Stakes handle dipped to $99 million with no Triple Crown bid on the line.

The next renewal for the Belmont Stakes will occur on June 10th, 2017.

The Triple Crown

The Triple Crown series was cemented in terms of schedule by 1931, placing the Belmont Stakes as the final leg. Prior to 1931, the races were flipped around in order depending on track availability and the agenda’s of the organizers themselves. The term “Triple Crown” was coined by Daily Racing Form writer Charles Hatton in the early 1930’s and the series was later instituted as it is known today.

Twelve champions have earned the Triple Crown. They are: Sir Barton (1919) ,Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978) and American Pharoah (2015).

The gap between Affirmed and American Pharoah winning Triple Crowns was 38 years, and was heavily publicized heading in to the 2015 Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah’s victory at the Belmont may have been the most significant in resurrecting interest in the Triple Crown as he was later voted as the Sportsperson of the Year in Sports Illustrated through an online poll.

An additional 23 horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, but come up short at the Belmont Stakes. Some of the most notable horses to do so are Northern Dance (1964), Spectacular Bid (1979), Alysheba (1987), Sunday Silence (1989), Silver charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), Charismatic (1999), Smarty Jones (2004), I’ll Have Another (2012) and California Chrome (2014).

One of the most memorable finishes at the Belmont Stakes is also its most tragic. Charismatic fractured several bones in his foreleg during the 1999 renewal. Jockey Chris Antley sensed something was wrong during the race and leapt off so he could support Charismatic’s leg himself. The injury forced Charismatic in to retirement, but he was honored with an Eclipse Award for 3-Year-Old Colt of the Year and Horse of the Year in 1999 regardless of the injury. An iconic photo of Antley bracing Charismatic’s leg at the Belmont Stakes was the 1999 National Thoroughbred Racing Association Moment of the Year.

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Belmont Stakes Traditions

Like its Triple Crown counterparts, the Belmont Stakes has many nicknames. The “Test of the Champion” tag was given to reflect both the difficulty of the race and its status as the final trial in the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes is also known as the “Run For The Carnations” as the winner is decorated in a blanked of white carnations.

The winner is also adorned with a silver trophy designed by Paulding Farnham for Tiffany and Co.

Traditions for the Belmont Stakes have been subject to overhaul. The parade song has been changed multiple times and been open to adopting popular songs like Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” or Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind”.

The official drink of the Belmont Stakes was formerly the White Carnation, but was later changed to the Belmont Breeze. In 1997. In 2011 the drink was again altered to the Belmont Jewel.

Belmont Stakes Records

Secretariat is the track king of Belmont Park. His record of 2:24.00 from 1973 remains the speed record for the Belmont Stakes, and his win of 31 lengths is the largest margin of victory ever recorded in the race as well. Risen Star, a son of Secretariat, would also win the Belmont Stakes in 1988 and posted the second-fastest time in the history of the race up until that point.

Jim McLaughlin and Eddie Arcaro each hold 6 wins as the most successful jockey’s at the Belmont Stakes. Gary Stevens has three wins, making him the most successful amongst active jockeys.

Three fillies have won the Belmont Stakes. The first was actually the first ever champion in the race’s history with Ruthless in 1867. Tanya followed in 1905 and the most recent was Rags to Riches in 2007.

Full Listing of Belmont Stakes Winners

Year	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Time
2019
2018	Justify
2017	Tapwrit
2016	Creator	Steve Asmussen	Irad Ortiz, Jr	2:28.51
2015	American Pharoah	Bob Baffert	Victor Espinoza	2:26.65
2014	Tonalist	Christophe Clement	Joel Rosario	2:28.52
2013	Palace Malice	Todd Pletcher	Mike Smith	2:30.70
2012	Union Rags	Michael Matz	John Velazquez	2:30.42
2011	Ruler on Ice	Kelly Breen	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	2:30.88
2010	Drosselmeyer	William Mott	Mike Smith	2:31.57
2009	Summer Bird	Tim Ice	Kent Desormeaux	2:27.54
2008	Da’Tara	Nick Zito	Alan Garcia	2:29.65
2007	Rags to Riches**	Todd Pletcher	John Velazquez	2:28.74
2006	Jazil	Kiaran McLaughlin	Fernando Jara	2:27.86
2005	Afleet Alex	Timothy Ritchey	Jeremy Rose	2:28.75
2004	Birdstone	Nick Zito	Edgar Prado	2:27.50
2003	Empire Maker	Robert Frankel	Jerry Bailey	2:28.26
2002	Sarava	Kenneth McPeek	Edgar Prado	2:29.71
2001	Point Given	Bob Baffert	Gary Stevens	2:26.56
2000	Commendable	D. Wayne Lukas	Pat Day	2:31.19
1999	Lemon Drop Kid	Scotty Schulhofer	Jose Santos	2:27.88
1998	Victory Gallop	W. Elliott Walden	Gary Stevens	2:29.16
1997	Touch Gold	David Hofmans	Chris McCarron	2:28.82
1996	Editor’s Note	D. Wayne Lukas	Rene R. Douglas	2:28.96
1995	Thunder Gulch	D. Wayne Lukas	Gary Stevens	2:32.02
1994	Tabasco Cat	D. Wayne Lukas	Pat Day	2:26.82
1993	Colonial Affair	Scotty Schulhofer	Julie Krone	2:29.97
1992	A.P. Indy	Neil Drysdale	Ed Delahoussaye	2:26.13
1991	Hansel	Frank L. Brothers	Jerry Bailey	2:28.10
1990	Go And Go	Dermot K. Weld	Michael Kinane	2:27.20
1989	Easy Goer	C. R. McGaughey III	Pat Day	2:26.00
1988	Risen Star	Louie J. Roussel III	Ed Delahoussaye	2:26.40
1987	Bet Twice	Jimmy Croll	Craig Perret	2:28.20
1986	Danzig Connection	Woody Stephens	Chris McCarron	2:29.80
1985	Creme Fraiche	Woody Stephens	Eddie Maple	2:27.00
1984	Swale	Woody Stephens	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	2:27.20
1983	Caveat	Woody Stephens	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	2:27.80
1982	Conquistador Cielo	Woody Stephens	Laffit Pincay, Jr.	2:28.20
1981	Summing	Luis Barrera	George Martens	2:29.00
1980	Temperence Hill	Joseph B. Cantey	Eddie Maple	2:29.80
1979	Coastal	David A. Whiteley	Ruben Hernandez	2:28.60
1978	Affirmed	Laz Barrera	Steve Cauthen	2:26.80
1977	Seattle Slew	William H. Turner, Jr.	Jean Cruguet	2:29.60
1976	Bold Forbes	Laz Barrera	Angel Cordero, Jr.	2:29.00
1975	Avatar	Tommy Doyle	Bill Shoemaker	2:28.20
1974	Little Current	Lou Rondinello	Miguel A. Rivera	2:29.20
1973	Secretariat	Lucien Laurin	Ron Turcotte	2:24.00
1972	Riva Ridge	Lucien Laurin	Ron Turcotte	2:28.00
1971	Pass Catcher	Eddie Yowell	Walter Blum	2:30.40
1970	High Echelon	John W. Jacobs	John L. Rotz	2:34.00
1969	Arts and Letters	J. Elliott Burch	Braulio Baeza	2:28.80
1968	Stage Door Johnny	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Heliodoro Gustines	2:27.20
1967	Damascus	Frank Y. Whiteley, Jr.	Bill Shoemaker	2:28.80
1966	Amberoid	Lucien Laurin	William Boland	2:29.60
1965	Hail To All	Eddie Yowell	Johnny Sellers	2:28.40
1964	Quadrangle	J. Elliott Burch	Manuel Ycaza	2:28.40
1963	Chateaugay	James P. Conway	Braulio Baeza	2:30.20
1962	Jaipur	Bert Mulholland	Bill Shoemaker	2:28.80
1961	Sherluck	Harold Young	Braulio Baeza	2:29.20
1960	Celtic Ash	Thomas J. Barry	Bill Hartack	2:29.20
1959	Sword Dancer	J. Elliott Burch	Bill Shoemaker	2:28.40
1958	Cavan	Thomas J. Barry	Pete Anderson	2:30.20
1957	Gallant Man	John A. Nerud	Bill Shoemaker	2:26.60
1956	Needles	Hugh L. Fontaine	David Erb	2:29.80
1955	Nashua	Jim Fitzsimmons	Eddie Arcaro	2:29.00
1954	High Gun	Max Hirsch	Eric Guerin	2:30.80
1953	Native Dancer	Bill Winfrey	Eric Guerin	2:28.60
1952	One Count	Oscar White	Eddie Arcaro	2:30.20
1951	Counterpoint	Sylvester Veitch	David Gorman	2:29.00
1950	Middleground	Max Hirsch	William Boland	2:28.60
1949	Capot	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Ted Atkinson	2:30.20
1948	Citation	Horace A. Jones	Eddie Arcaro	2:28.20
1947	Phalanx	Sylvester Veitch	Ruperto Donoso	2:29.40
1946	Assault	Max Hirsch	Warren Mehrtens	2:30.80
1945	Pavot	Oscar White	Eddie Arcaro	2:30.20
1944	Bounding Home	Matt Brady	Gayle Smith	2:32.20
1943	Count Fleet	Don Cameron	Johnny Longden	2:28.20
1942	Shut Out	John M. Gaver, Sr.	Eddie Arcaro	2:29.20
1941	Whirlaway	Ben A. Jones	Eddie Arcaro	2:31.00
1940	Bimelech	William A. Hurley	Fred A. Smith	2:29.60
1939	Johnstown	Jim Fitzsimmons	James Stout	2:29.60
1938	Pasteurized	George M. Odom	James Stout	2:29.40
1937	War Admiral	George Conway	Charley Kurtsinger	2:28.60
1936	Granville	Jim Fitzsimmons	James Stout	2:30.00
1935	Omaha	Jim Fitzsimmons	Willie Saunders	2:30.60
1934	Peace Chance	Pete Coyne	Wayne D. Wright	2:29.20
1933	Hurryoff	Henry McDaniel	Mack Garner	2:32.60
1932	Faireno	Jim Fitzsimmons	Tommy Malley	2:32.80
1931	Twenty Grand	James G. Rowe, Jr.	Charley Kurtsinger	2:29.60
1930	Gallant Fox	Jim Fitzsimmons	Earl Sande	2:31.60
1929	Blue Larkspur	Herbert J. Thompson	Mack Garner	2:32.80
1928	Vito	Max Hirsch	Clarence Kummer	2:33.20
1927	Chance Shot	Pete Coyne	Earl Sande	2:32.40
1926	Crusader	George Conway	Albert Johnson	2:32.20
1925	American Flag	Gwyn R. Tompkins	Albert Johnson	2:16.80
1924	Mad Play	Sam Hildreth	Earl Sande	2:18.80
1923	Zev	Sam Hildreth	Earl Sande	2:19.00
1922	Pillory	Thomas J. Healey	C. H. Miller	2:18.80
1921	Grey Lag	Sam Hildreth	Earl Sande	2:16.80
1920	Man o’ War	Louis Feustel	Clarence Kummer	2:14.20
1919	Sir Barton	H. Guy Bedwell	Johnny Loftus	2:17.40
1918	Johren	Albert Simons	Frank Robinson	2:20.40
1917	Hourless	Sam Hildreth	James H. Butwell	2:17.80
1916	Friar Rock	Everett Haynes	2:22.00
1915	The Finn	Edward W. Heffner	George Byrne	2:18.40
1914	Luke McLuke	John F. Schorr	Merritt Buxton	2:20.00
1913	Prince Eugene	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Roscoe Troxler	2:18.00
1912
1911
1910	Sweep	James G. Rowe, Sr.	James H. Butwell	2:22.00
1909	Joe Madden	Sam Hildreth	Eddie Dugan	2:21.60
1908	Colin	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Joe Notter	N/A
1907	Peter Pan	James G. Rowe, Sr.	George Mountain	N/A
1906	Burgomaster	John W. Rogers	Lucien Lyne	2:20.00
1905	Tanya**	John W. Rogers	Gene Hildebrand	2:08.00
1904	Delhi	James G. Rowe, Sr.	George M. Odom	2:06.60
1903	Africander	Richard O. Miller	John Bullman	2:21.75
1902	Masterman	John J. Hyland	John Bullman	2:22.60
1901	Commando	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Henry Spencer	2:21.00
1900	Ildrim	H. Eugene Leigh	Nash Turner	2:21.25
1899	Jean Bereaud	Sam Hildreth	Richard Clawson	2:23.00
1898	Bowling Brook	R. Wyndham Walden	Fred Littlefield	2:32.00
1897	Scottish Chieftain	Matt Byrnes	Joe Scherrer	2:23.25
1896	Hastings	John J. Hyland	Henry Griffin	2:24.50
1895	Belmar	Edward Feakes	Fred Taral	2:11.50
1894	Henry of Navarre	Byron McClelland	Willie Simms	1:56.50
1893	Comanche	Gus Hannon	Willie Simms	1:53.25
1892	Patron	Lewis Stuart	William Hayward	2:17.00
1891	Foxford	M. Donavan	Edward R. Garrison	2:08.75
1890	Burlington	Albert Cooper	Pike Barnes	2:07.75
1889	Eric	John Huggins	William Hayward	2:47.25
1888	Sir Dixon	Frank McCabe	Jim McLaughlin	2:40.25
1887	Hanover	Frank McCabe	Jim McLaughlin	2:43.50
1886	Inspector B	Frank McCabe	Jim McLaughlin	2:41.00
1885	Tyrant	C. Claypool	Paul Duffy	2:43.00
1884	Panique	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Jim McLaughlin	2:42.00
1883	George Kinney	James G. Rowe, Sr.	Jim McLaughlin	2:42.50
1882	Forester	Lewis Stuart	Jim McLaughlin	2:43.00
1881	Saunterer	R. Wyndham Walden	Tom Costello	2:47.00
1880	Grenada	R. Wyndham Walden	W. Hughes	2:47.00
1879	Spendthrift	Thomas Puryear	George Evans	2:42.75
1878	Duke of Magenta	R. Wyndham Walden	W. Hughes	2:43.50
1877	Cloverbrook	Jeter Walden	C. Holloway	2:46.00
1876	Algerine	Thomas W. Doswell	Billy Donohue	2:40.50
1875	Calvin	Ansel Williamson	Bobby Swim	2:42.25
1874	Saxon	W. Prior	George Barbee	2:39.50
1873	Springbok	David McDaniel	James G. Rowe, Sr.	3:01.75
1872	Joe Daniels	David McDaniel	James G. Rowe, Sr.	2:58.25
1871	Harry Bassett	David McDaniel	Walter Miller	2:56.00
1870	Kingfisher	Rollie Colston	Edward D. Brown	2:59.50
1869	Fenian	Jacob Pincus	C. Miller	3:04.25
1868	General Duke	A. Thompson	Bobby Swim	3:02.00
1867	Ruthless**	A. Jack Minor	Gilbert Patrick	3:05.00

**Filly