Belmont Stakes Record
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The Belmont Stakes: The Final Leg of the Triple Crown
Held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York in early June, race fans head to the “Run for the Carnations.” Some years it’s to see who might take the prestigious Triple Crown and other years it’s simply to see who will win the mile and a half long Grade 1 stakes race.
The Belmont Stakes is the longest race for three year old racehorses. Colts and gelding must carry 126 pounds and fillies carry 121 pounds. The purse is for $1 million.
Today, the Belmont Stakes is the third leg to the Triple Crown, but it hasn’t always been this way. On eleven occasions, the race has been run prior to the Preakness Stakes. Eleven times the Preakness has actually been run before the Derby. However, once the Triple Crown was recognized, the race has taken its place on the first Saturday that falls on or after June 5th. The Derby is always held the first Saturday in May and the Preakness is always held two weeks after the Derby.
The Belmont’s length has been run at various lengths. From 1867 to 1873, the Belmont was run at a mile and five furlongs. From 1890 to 1892, then 1895, 1904 and 1905, the race was run at a mile and a quarter. In 1893 and 1894, the race was run at a mile and furlong. From 1896 to 1903 and from 1906 to 1925, the length was a mile and three furlongs. The current mile and a half was established in 1926. When colts enter the Kentucky Derby, the mile and a quarter is the longest stretch they have ever seen and then they compete five weeks later at the Belmont, which is half a mile longer.
The Belmont has seen several records set with one of the most memorable being Secretariat’s win in 1973. Secretariat set a world record of 2:24 flat. The record is not only for the race time, but also the mile and a half on dirt. This record still stands today. Secretariat won by 31 lengths, a record that is the largest in the history of American Grade 1 stakes races.
Another memorable event occurred on June 5, 1993 when Julie Krone became the first woman to win the Triple Crown. Thoroughbred racing’s all-time leading female jockey rode Colonial Affair to victory that year.
About the Author
Simon M Skinner has worked in the online gambling industry since 2000. He has worked for some of the top online sportsbooks and now runs internet marketing for BetAmerica – the top online US horse racing betting website.