2025 Belmont Stakes live updates: Race times, betting odds, TV channel, picks and latest news – The New York Times

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Belmont Stakes
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Follow along for live updates from the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes.
While this race is historically held at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., for the second consecutive year due to construction, the race is being held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. As a result, the race will not feature the typical 12-furlong or 1 1/2-mile length. Instead, the race will be 10 furlongs or 1 1/4 miles.
Regardless, it should be an engaging day of racing on the track and of course, the winner of the Stakes will take home a purse of $2 million.
If this list were based purely on the points, Sovereignty would’ve been No. 2. But he gets the top spot for three reasons.
First, he beat Journalism in the Kentucky Derby — on a muddy track to boot. This year’s Belmont Stakes will be the same length as the Derby, so there’s some comparison there.
Second, his scheduled rider is Junior Alvarado. Alvarado jockeyed Sovereignty in two of his three races as a 3-year-old, and those were both first-place finishes.
Third, when looking at the race results, it doesn’t seem to matter how he starts. Here’s where he was in his three 3-year-old races at the three-quarter pole: 17th out of 19, fifth out of 10 and sixth out of six.
He finished first, second and first in those races, respectively.
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Here are the winners of today's races thus far:
Born in Great Britain, Saffie Osborne is the youngest jockey in the 2025 Belmont Stakes and the lone woman.
The 23-year-old made her first start in the United States a few weeks back at the Preakness Stakes aboard Heart of Honor, finishing fifth.
Saffie is the daughter of Jamie Osborne, a former jockey who is now a trainer and more specifically, the trainer of Heart of Honor.
Here is relevant information regarding Heart of Honor:
Bill elects to sit out the Met Mile, a not-great betting race with only five runners. Constance is sure that White Abarrio is going to win, but alas, he finishes fourth. Longshot Raging Torrent wins, paying a juicy $18 to win. (After this morning’s weather, how did we all not bet on Raging Torrent? Woulda, coulda shoulda.)
Deanne came to Saratoga for the first time in 1984, the year that she met her husband. “He told me we were going to the Travers. I had no idea what he was talking about.” (The Travers, also called The Midsummer Derby, is the highlight of the Saratoga summer racing meet. It takes place at the end of August.)
Bill is sticking with Sovereignty in the Belmont.
“He was my Derby horse, and I always stick with my Derby horse through the Travers,” he said, “and I think he’s going to be a generous price.”
At 5:15 pm, Sovereignty is 3-1, the co-second choice with Baeza. At 2-1, Journalism is still taking most of the public’s money.
When Bill Price was a teenager growing up in Baltimore, his uncle took him to Pimlico Racetrack, and he was hooked. And before long, so was his family, road-tripping with him to Belmont Park, the Kentucky Derby and Saratoga. This Belmont weekend, the family traveled from Maryland, Vermont and Peru, N.Y., near the Canadian border. This is their first Saratoga Belmont, but Bill, in particular, has been a regular at the Belmont Stakes and at the Saratoga summer meeting for decades. A little – OK, a lot – of rain wasn’t going to keep them away today.
Holding a Belmont Jewel, the signature drink of the Belmont Stakes (bourbon, lemonade, pomegranate juice), sitting in her seat in the clubhouse, Bill’s sister Jennifer said, “We’re die-hards.”
They’re a foursome this Belmont weekend, joined by Bill’s wife, Deanne, and Bill and Jennifer’s mother, Constance. During the summer, a group of 40 of their friends and family members gather in the backyard. Deanne and Bill lived for a time in Ballston Spa, the town next to Saratoga, when he was transferred here for a job at NCR.
Constance studies the program between races, asking her son about the pedigree of a runner in the Met Mile. “Do any of them go back to Secretariat?” she asked. …
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Tonight will be a momentous occasion for Umberto Rispoli as the Italian national rides at the Belmont Stakes for the first time.
The 36-year-old has found success during this year's Triple Crown aboard Journalism, finishing second at the Kentucky Derby and winning the Preakness Stakes.
Not only will this be Rispoli's first time competing in the Belmont Stakes, it will be also be his first time competing at Saratoga Race Course.
Here are the winners so far in the early races (with their jockeys):
Here is relevant information regarding Journalism:
Born in France, Flavien Prat is a decorated jockey who has already won at both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes during his career.
The 32-year-old, who will be aboard Baeza tonight, has ridden in the Belmont Stakes four times, with his best finish being second in 2021 aboard Hot Rod Charlie.
Here is relevant information regarding Crudo:
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John Velazquez, another National Museum of Racing Hall of Famer, is set to appear in the Belmont Stakes for the 28th time. The 54-year-old has won this race twice, in 2007 aboard Rags to Riches and 2012 aboard Union Rags.
He remains one of the more iconic jockeys in the sport and will be aboard Crudo tonight.
The track has dried out quite a bit and has now been upgraded to muddy and sealed. That was just announced.
Here is relevant information regarding Crudo:
What a difference a few hours make. The rains have gone, the sun is out, and the crowds have arrived, wholly undeterred by this morning's downpour.
The crowds might be a little thinner than last year … if bathroom lines are any indications.
Another staple of the Belmont Stakes, Panamanian Luis Saez has ridden in this race seven times and won it twice.
The 33-year old finished first in 2021 aboard Essential Quality and in 2024 abroad Dornoch.
Saez, who is no stranger to the Stakes nor Saratoga Race Course, will be aboard Uncaged tonight.
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Here is relevant information regarding Uncaged:
Tonight will mark the 22nd ride at the Belmont Stakes for legendary jockey and National Museum of Racing Hall of Famer Mike Smith.
The 59-year-old has won the race three times including in 2010 aboard Drosselmeyer, in 2013 aboard Palace Malice and again in 2018 aboard Justify.
Smith will be aboard Rodriguez for tonight's Stakes.
Here is relevant information regarding Rodriguez:

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