The Belmont Stakes, the oldest of the three Triple Crown events in thoroughbred racing, takes place this Saturday at Saratoga for the second year in a row as Belmont continues its redevelopment.
When wagering on the Belmont Stakes, there’s a lot to take into account, from the pace of the race and track conditions to the freshness of the runner who contested the Preakness Stakes just three weeks ago.
And now that the first two legs of the Triple Crown have been settled, it is time for the winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes to lock horns once again.
Fractions will be key to the Belmont Stakes, and the outcomes of those recent races could have a significant bearing on who comes out on top this weekend – they are certainly shaping bookies’ odds.
This year’s edition will be the 157th Belmont Stakes and only eight runners are set to line up for it, but with that said, the event is shaping up to be one of the best in recent times.
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2025 Belmont Stakes trifecta
Find my tricefcta for the 2025 Belmont Stakes. Continue reading to find the horse by horse guide for this year’s race.
- 1st: 2 Sovereignty
- 2nd: 6 Baeza
- 3rd: 1 Hill Road
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2025 Belmont Stakes post positions and odds
The Belmont Stakes odds are widely available throughout the build-up to the final leg of the Triple Crown. Here, we break down all the runners and riders, their post positions and what TwinSpires are pricing them up at.
| Post Position | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | ML Odds |
| 7 | Journalism | Umberto Rispoli | Michael McCarthy | 8/5 |
| 2 | Sovereignty | Junior Alvarado | Bill Mott | 2/1 |
| 6 | Baeza | Flavien Prat | John Shirreffs | 4/1 |
| 3 | Rodriguez | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | 6/1 |
| 1 | Hill Road | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad Brown | 10/1 |
| 5 | Crudo | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 15/1 |
| 8 | Heart Of Honor | Saffie Osborne | Jamie Osborne | 30/1 |
| 4 | Uncaged | Luis Saez | Todd Pletcher | 30/1 |
Belmont Stakes runner by runner guide
Eight runners will line up for this year’s Belmont Stakes, for one of the most eagerly-anticipated runnings in recent times.
Now let’s dive into the early odds, race information, field and more as we count down the hours to the 2025 Belmont Stakes.
🏇 7 Journalism
- Form: 1-1121
- Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
- Trainer: Michael McCarthy
- Owner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Partners
- Odds: 8/5
The son of Curlin has been operating at the top of his game ever since first stepping foot on a racecourse, racking up four wins from his five starts. His only defeat came at the hands of Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby, and he will have to go head-to-head with his old foe again.
Since that defeat, Journalism has gone on to win the Preakness Stakes where, at the furlong pole, victory looked unlikely as jockey Umberto Rispoli had to barge between two horses, getting badly hampered in the process.
Once the pair got clear daylight, they closed rapidly on the clear leader Gosger and got up to win in the shadows of the post. He will need to match that effort if he is to have any hope of swapping placings with Sovereignty.
🏇 2 Sovereignty
- Form: 421/121
- Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Trainer: Bill Mott
- Owner: Godolphin
- Odds: 2/1
Having gotten the better of Journalism in a driving finish in the Kentucky Derby, connections opted to skip the Preakness Stakes and keep the son of Into Mischief fresh for a crack at a historic double.
This hold-up performer is likely to have the race run to suit, and with his closing speed to call upon once again, it may be a case of déjà vu as the Goldophin blue looms up on the outside for the stretch drive and gets the better of rivals in the closing stages.
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🏇 6 Baeza
- Form: 9-2123
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Trainer: John Shirreffs
- Owner: CRK Stable & Grandview Equine
- Odds: 4/1
Even though Baeza finished 2nd to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby and then 3rd to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby, he does not have much to find with the pair coming into the Belmont Stakes.
If the top two in the betting take their eye off the ball, Beaza can take full advantage of stalking the pace and steal valuable lengths at a crucial stage. He poses a significant danger to the field.
🏇 3 Rodriguez
- Form: 1231
- Jockey: Mike Smith
- Trainer: Bob Baffert
- Owner: SF Racing & Partners
- Odds: 6/1
The son of the 2020 Horse of the Year – Authentic – looks the pace of the race coming from gate 3. Since his debut win over Baeza, Rodriguez has failed to really kick on.
He was well beaten in the Grade 3 Robert B Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita and then well and truly put in his place by Journalism in the San Felipe Stakes.
Since then, Rodriguez took the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct on April 5th, but connections were avoiding Journalism and company in the Santa Anita Derby the following day.
On form, though, his stablemate Citizen Bull, who comfortably got the better of Rodriguez in February, needs to come up with a clear career best to pull off a famous win.
🏇 1 Hill Road
- Form: 173-31
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Owner: Amo Racing USA
- Odds: 10/1
Formerly trained in Ireland by Adrian Murray, Hill Road was victorious on his official debut for Chad Brown in the Peter Pan Stakes, which punched his ticket to the Belmont Stakes.
He steps up one furlong in the distance today, and given his closing speed over slightly shorter distances, this trip could be the making of this colt.
He will need the splits to be on the fast side, but if they are, there may not be any finishing faster than the son of Quality Road.
There is every reason to believe that we have yet to see the best of Hill Road, and Amo Racing could be about to have its biggest day in racing to date.
🏇 5 Crudo
- Form: 411
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Owner: Bobby Flay & James Ventura
- Odds: 15/1
Crudo was a winner on the Preakness undercard, where he ran out an impressive over seven-length winner in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes. In doing so, he went into many people’s notebooks as an outside pick for the Belmont Stakes.
If he is to take his form to the next level, Crudo will likely have to contend with getting the better of Rodriguez on pace, but how much energy will he have to exert to do so?
There is a fine line between getting loose on the lead and setting it up for the closers, but if John Velazquez can time his splits to perfection, this lightly raced son of Triple Crown winner Justify could be a fly in the ointment.
🏇 4 Uncaged
- Form: 1-416
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Owner: WinStar Farm & Repole Stable
- Odds: 30/1
Despite a ground-saving trip in the Peter Pan Stakes, Uncaged weakened into sixth place, leaving him with a lot to find with Hill Road, and given how he weakened at Belmont, the extra distance in the Belmont Stakes is a worry.
🏇 8 Heart Of Honor
- Form: 21-12225
- Jockey: Saffie Osborne
- Trainer: Jamie Osborne
- Owner: Jim And Claire Ltd
- Odds: 30/1
Even though Heart Of Honor is officially a UK runner, he has only ever raced once in the UK, and that was when finishing as the runner-up on his debut.
Since then, the father-daughter team have had great success, and nearly pulled off what would have been a fairytale win in the UAE Derby only to run out of track when going down a nose to the Japanese runner Admire Daytona.
Going purely by previous results, he has a lot to find with a few runners here and has over eight lengths to find with Journalism.
With that said, he did dwell when leaving the gates at Pimlico, but granted that he is sharp away when the starter sends them on their way, a place finish would not be out of the question for this closer.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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