About the race
The Belmont Stakes is a Grade 1 race on dirt for three-year-olds and one of the three US Triple Crown races, staged by The New York Racing Association (NYRA). NYRA says it was first run in 1867 at Jerome Park and is the oldest Triple Crown race. While Belmont Park was rebuilt, the race was run at Saratoga Race Course in 2024, 2025 and 2026, over 1 1/4 miles instead of the traditional 1 1/2 miles because of the configuration of Saratoga’s main track. The 2026 purse was USD 2 million.
Sovereignty won the 157th running on 7 June 2025 for Godolphin, trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado. Golden Tempo won the 158th on 6 June 2026 by 1 1/4 lengths for Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable, trainer Cherie DeVaux and jockey Jose Ortiz. NYRA has scheduled the 2027 running for 5 June at the new Belmont Park.
The 2025 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 June 2025 | Sovereignty | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | Godolphin, LLC |
From the official result.
The 2026 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 June 2026 | Golden Tempo | Jose Ortiz | Cherie DeVaux | Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable |
From the official result.
Recognition and facts
- Triple Crown
- The oldest of the three Triple Crown races (NYRA)
- Temporary venue
- Saratoga Race Course, 2024 to 2026
- Next running
- 5 June 2027, Belmont Park (NYRA)
- Series from 2027
- Thoroughbred Championship Series for three-year-olds, announced by NYRA and Churchill Downs Incorporated on 3 August 2026, with a USD 5 million prize pool
- 2026 race day
- All-sources handle of USD 116,077,378 and paid attendance of 46,128 (NYRA)
Questions readers ask
When is the Belmont Stakes run?
NYRA ran it at Saratoga on 7 June 2025 and 6 June 2026, and has scheduled the 2027 running for Saturday 5 June at Belmont Park.
What is the prize fund of the Belmont Stakes?
NYRA gave the 2026 Belmont Stakes a purse of USD 2,000,000.
Who won the Belmont Stakes in 2025?
Sovereignty, owned by Godolphin, LLC, trained by William I. Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado.
Sources
The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.
- IFHA: LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025 (published 21 January 2026)
- Belmont Stakes (NYRA)
- Belmont Stakes past winners (NYRA)
- History of the Belmont Stakes (NYRA)
- NYRA announces stakes schedule for the 2026 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (11 February 2026)
- Golden Tempo storms home to post emphatic victory in 158th Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (NYRA, 6 June 2026)