The Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, concluded its 157th edition at Saratoga Race Course, crowning a new champion. This prestigious American Grade I stakes race featured eight three-year-old thoroughbreds, with Sovereignty crossing the finish line first.
Sovereignty, who claimed victory at the Kentucky Derby earlier in May, has won again, securing his second race of the Triple Crown season. In an exhilarating race that kept everyone on the edge of their seats, Sovereignty narrowly beat the other favorite, Journalism, to take the win. Baeza, at 3-1 odds prior to the race, finished in third place.
Although no Triple Crown winner emerged this year, the Belmont Stakes delivered on its promise of excitement. USA TODAY Sports breaks down all the action here:
Sovereignty wins the Belmont Stakes
The early favorite, Sovereignty, has won the 157th edition of the Belmont Stakes. Here are the top three finishers:
Sovereignty
Journalism
Baeza
Belmont Stakes highlights: Watch Sovereignty beat Journalism
Belmont Stakes results:
Here is how the Belmont Stakes ended in order of finish.
Sovereignty
Journalism
Baeza
Rodriguez
Hill Road
Heart of Honor
Uncaged
Crudo
Belmont Stakes purse
According to Twinspires.com, the purse amount for the 157th annual Belmont Stakes is $2 million. Here is a breakdown of the purse for the top finishers.
1st Place Sovereignty: $1.2 million
2nd Place Journalism: $360,000
3rd Place Baeza: $200,000
Race 1 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Maggy’s Palace
Second place: Roswell
Third place: Willow Bend
Race 2 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Stars and Strides
Second place: Mainstream
Third place: Secured Lender
Race 3 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Big Blue Line
Second place: Certified Loverboy
Third place: Alternate Reality
Race 4 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: General Partner
Second place: Victory Way
Third place: Echo Again
Race 5 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Pentathlon
Second place: Ridgewood Runner
Third place: Unlimitedpotential
Race 6 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Nitrogen
Second place: Bessie Abott (IRE)
Third place: May Day Ready
Race 7 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Book’em Danno
Second place: Mullikin
Third place: Crazy Mason
Race 8 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: Raging Torrent
Second place: Fierceness
Third place: Just a Touch
Race 9 results:
Race 9 canceled according to the Belmont Stakes:
Race 10 results:
Results according to the Belmont Stakes:
First place: A.P. Kid
Second place: Mi Bago
Third place: Golden Channel
Race 11 results:
First place: Patch Adams
Second place: Madaket Road
Third place: Big Truzz
Race 12 results:
Race 12 canceled according to the Belmont Stakes.
Race 13 results:
First place: Sovereignty
Second place: Journalism
Third place: Baeza
Race 14 results:
First place: Top Gun Rocket
Second place: Street Swagg
Third place: Whittington Park
What time is the 2025 Belmont Stakes?
The 157th running of the Belmont Stakes will be held Saturday, June 7. Post time is 7:04 p.m. ET
2025 Belmont Stakes post positions
Here’s where each horse landed, as well as its trainer, jockey and current odds via Belmont Stakes:
Hill Road
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Odds: 10-1
Sovereignty
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Odds: 2-1
Rodriguez
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: Mike Smith
Odds: 6-1
Uncaged
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
Odds: 30-1
Crudo
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Odds: 15-1
Baeza
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Odds: 4-1
Journalism
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Odds: 8-5
Heart of Honor
Trainer: Jamie Osborne
Jockey: Saffie Osborne
Odds: 30-1
When is the 2025 Belmont Stakes?
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 7:04 p.m. ET
Stream: FOX Sports app, FOXSports.com, Fubo (offers free trial)
TV: FOX
Location: Saratoga Race Course (Saratoga Springs, New York)
The 157th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course is set for Saturday, June 7, 2025. Fans can watch the race, which will be streamed on FOX Sports app, FOXSports.com, and Fubo.
Watch the 2025 Belmont Stakes on Fubo
Why your Belmont horse can and can’t win
2. Sovereignty (2-1)
Why he can win: If Rodriguez and Crudo go fast early, the race sets up for a closer like Sovereignty to do his thing. After skipping the Preakness, he’s well-rested.
Why he can’t: Mott ruffled some feathers when he told the Daily Racing Form that Sovereignty had no reason to skip the Preakness, except that “we didn’t feel like it.” We’ll see if the “racing gods” take offense.
7. Journalism (8-5)
Why he can win: He can seemingly overcome anything, winning the Santa Anita Derby and Preakness after encountering trouble. Maybe we’ll look back at the Kentucky Derby as the only smudge on an otherwise impeccable résumé.
Why he can’t: You can argue how much fault jockey Umberto Rispoli deserves for the trouble Journalism has encountered over his past three races, but how much do you trust him?
Where to watch the Belmont today
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 7:04 p.m. ET (race starts) | 2:30 p.m. ET (TV coverage)
TV: FOX
Stream: FOX Sports app, FOXSports.com, Fubo (offers free trial)
Belmont 2025 odds
Here are odds for each horse in the 2025 Preakness Stakes, listed in order of post position and morning-line odds.
Odds according to CBS Sports:
No. 1 – Hill Road: odds (10-1), Trainer: Chad Brown
No. 2 – Sovereignty: odds (2-1) Trainer: Bill Mott
No. 3 – Rodriguez: odds (6-1) Trainer: Bob Baffert
No. 4 – Uncaged: odds (30-1) Trainer: Todd Pletcher
No. 5 – Crudo: odds (15-1) Trainer: Todd Pletcher
No. 6 – Baeza: odds (4-1) Trainer: John Shirreffs
No. 7 – Journalism: odds (8-5) Trainer: Michael McCarthy
No. 8 – Heart of Honor: odds (30-1) Trainer: Jamie Osborne
e Belmont Stakes
What is the 2025 Belmont Stakes purse?
According to Twinspires.com, the purse amount for the 157th annual Bellmont Stakes is $2 million. Here is a breakdown of the purse by finish.
1st: $1.2 million
2nd: $360,000
3rd: $200,000
4th: $100,000
5th: $60,000
6th: $40,000
7th: $20,000
8th: $20,000
Is Sovereignty at the 2025 Belmont?
The Kentucky Derby winner trained by Bill Mott, Sovereignty, did not compete in the Preakness Stakes. There will be no chance for a Triple Crown this year. However, Sovereignty is indeed running at Belmont at morning odds of 2-1. This poses a matchup with the Preakness winner, Journalism, which is also in the field on Saturday.
Where is the Belmont Stakes?
The Belmont Stakes will once again run at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is temporarily relocating to a new venue, away from Belmont Park, until its renovation is complete in 2026. The Belmont also ran at Saratoga in 2024.
Time for horse racing to realize Triple Crown must change
Every Kentucky Derby-winning trainer has the same day-after script when it comes to bringing their horse to the Preakness. And the line is usually some non-committal variation of “they’ll tell us” if they’re physically ready to run back just two weeks later in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
Well, Bill Mott wasn’t kidding Sunday, the morning after Sovereignty’s victory. You could almost see the thought bubble forming around his words, telling everyone not to be too surprised if he and the management team at Godolphin, which owns the horse, decided to take a pass on Baltimore. — Dan Wolken
Belmont predictions: Expert picks
Asbury Park Press: Four out of six go Journalism to win
Experts make their picks for the Belmont in order of finish:
Ken Jordan: Sovereignty, Rodriguez, Journalism, Baeza
Sean Nolan: Journalism, Baeza, Rodriguez, Sovereignty
Steven Falk: Journalism, Baeza, Sovereignty, Rodriguez
Steve Edelson: Journalism, Sovereignty, Rodriguez, Heart of Honor
Greg Giombarrese: Journalism, Baeza, Sovereignty, Rodriguez
Bob Jordan: Baeza, Hill Road, Journalism, Sovereignty
Sports Illustrated: Sovereignty
Sean Treppedi writes, ‘Trainer Bill Mott, who guided Drosselmeyer to a Belmont win 15 years ago, has methodically developed him for peak performances and says Sovereignty has only improved for this race. With the right stamina and experience, Mott has a good shot at collecting two legs of the Triple Crown in 2025.’