Belmont Stakes

Belmont Stakes betting is the final race to bet on the Triple Crown of horse racing at Belmont Park.

The Belmont Stakes was named after August Belmont who was the first President of the Jockey Club in 1867. Twenty-nine horses have been eligible to win the horseracing Triple Crown coming into Belmont Park and eleven have succeeded for Belmont Stakes betting players.

Belmont Stakes History: In six recent races, horses that have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998, Charismatic in 1999, War Emblem in 2002, Funny Cide in 2003, Smarty Jones in 2004) were denied The Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. Horse racing has not seen a Triple Crown champion since 1978. That’s when Affirmed went off as the early Belmont betting favorite at 0.60. Under jockey S. Cauthen, Affirmed swept the Belmont in a time of 2:26 4/5 and captured the Triple Crown title.

Secretariat’s 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park established the track record and world record for a mile and a half on dirt at 2:24. With this track record win in the Belmont, he became the ninth horse to capture the Triple Crown and reward the Belmont betting public who bet the favorite at 0.10 to win. Will the 139th Belmont Stakes on June 9th bring the same excitement to horse betting as Street Sense prepares for the Preakness?

The white carnation is the traditional flower of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The blanket requires approximately 350 carnations, glued to green velveteen spread and weighs between 30 and 40 pounds and is part of Belmont Stakes highlights. Five times in Belmont horse race history had only two horses entered in the horse race: 1887, 1888, 1892, 1910 and 1920, the year Man O’War won. The largest Belmont betting field was 15 in 1983, when Caveat defeated Slew O’ Gold and rewarded those who bet him to win the Belmont at 2.60.

The largest crowd in Belmont history was 120,139 in the 2004 running of the BelmontStakes to see if Smarty Jones would become horseracing’s 12th Triple Crown winner. Birdstone won the race and Smarty Jones finished second disappointing many horse betting players. Funny Cide finished third in his 2003 Triple Crown attempt, disappointing horse betting entusiasts. Empire Maker won the race and paid 2.00 to win the Belmont.

The purse for the first running of the Belmont Stakes horse race was $1,500 added with a total purse of $2,500. The winner of the first running was won by the filly Ruthless. The lowest winner’s share in Belmont Stakes betting history was $1,825 earned by The Finn in 1915. The highest-priced Belmont Stakes winner and record at the Belmont was Sarava ($142.50) in 2002. The lowest $2 win mutuel was Triple Crown winner Count Fleet ($2.10) in 1943.

Since mutuel Belmont Stakes betting began in New York around 1940, there have been six times when no place or show betting was taken at Belmont Park. The last time there was no show wagering for the Belmont Stakes race was in 1978 when Affirmed and Alydar raced. There was also no show betting when Secretariat won his Triple Crown in 1973 at the Belmont racetrack. Show betting was also eliminated in 1957 when Gallant Man defeated Bold Ruler and also in 1953 when Native Dancer won the Belmont.

Belmont Historical Notes: A couple of Belmont Park historical race notes are that in 1943 there was no place or show wagering when Triple Crown winner Count Fleet won. Whirlaway actually completed his Triple Crown victory in 1941 for Belmont betting players without show betting. The Belmont Stakes trophy is a Tiffany-made silver bowl. At the top is a silver figure of Fenian, winner of the third running of the Belmont Stakes thoroughbred race in 1869. The bowl is supported by three horses representing the three founding thoroughbreds – Eclipse, Herod and Matchem. The trophy was presented by the Belmont family as an award for the Belmont Stakes in 1926.