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Close your eyes, think of the most memorable editions of the Belmont Stakes of the past 50 or so years, and what do you see?

Perhaps Secretariat moving like a machine. Affirmed and Alydar battling with nothing but a head separating them for a mile. Birdstone surging past Smarty Jones. American Pharoah finally ending the 37-year Triple Crown drought.

All of those Belmont Stakes have this in common: a horse attempting to complete the Triple Crown by winning the Test of the Champion.

The Belmont Stakes is at its best when the Triple Crown is on the line. This year, however, that possibility ended quickly after the connections of Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty famously decided to skip the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.

But while no Triple Crown will be on the line in Saturday's Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, the race offers the next best thing: a rematch between the winners of the first two jewels of the Triple Crown, Sovereignty and Journalism. 

Sovereignty outkicked Journalism down the stretch five weeks ago on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs to win the Kentucky Derby. Journalism turned in one of the most mind-blowing stretch runs in Triple Crown history when he powered through a hole that wasn't there, regained his momentum and caught Gosger to win the Preakness Stakes while Sovereignty sat in his stall at Saratoga.

Despite losing to Sovereignty in the Derby, Journalism has been installed as the slight 8-5 morning-line favorite in the eight-horse Belmont Stakes field at the top racebooks, just ahead of Sovereignty (2-1). New users who find those odds intriguing can take advantage of Belmont Stakes promos.

But the final jewel of the Triple Crown shapes up as more than a two-horse race. The John Shirreffs-trained Baeza was a fast-closing third in the Derby, right behind Sovereignty and Journalism, and might have won with a better trip. Now with five weeks rest, Baeza could join the top of the class with a win. He is 4-1 on the morning line.

In addition, the Bob Baffert-trained Rodriguez will finally get his shot to run in a Triple Crown race. The California speedball went gate-to-wire in winning the Wood Memorial in April, but he developed a minor hoof issue that kept him out of the Derby and Preakness. Now healed, Rodriguez is projected to have a tactical edge on this field as the early pacesetter in a race lacking speed. He is 6-1 on the morning line. 

Below, we'll take you through everything to know about this year's Belmont from profiles of all the horses involved to info about the race and the Road to Saratoga Springs to where to find official betting strategy, including win picks and exotic plays, from a host of SportsLine experts.

What to know about the 157th Test of the Champion

  • What 157th Belmont Stakes
  • Where Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
  • Who Eight 3-year-old horses
  • Purse $2 million
  • Distance 1¼ miles
  • Post time 7:04 p.m. ET
  • Network FOX
  • Weather forecast Cloudy with a few showers, high of 73

Belmont Stakes live odds

As of 10:10 a.m. ET Thursday. Click here for updated odds throughout the day.

SportsLine expert picks

SportsLine has three great horse racing experts who have locked in their Belmont Stakes picks. Here's a preview of each:

Michelle Yu, an on-air host and reporter with a background training horses who has provided racing analysis for TVG, HRTV and the Breeders' Cup, enters this year's Belmont Stakes on a roll. She started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young's win in the $20 million Saudi Cup, Journalism's win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman's win in the Arkansas Derby and Mindframe's win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. She also hit the exacta in the Kentucky Derby. For the Belmont, Yu is completely fading Sovereignty. Instead her top pick is a horse who "has never looked better training." Check out Yu's full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Gene Menez, a former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, has been red-hot since November. He crushed the late Pick 4 on Breeders' Cup Saturday for a $5,303 windfall. He nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the Florida Derby for a $529.60 score and the winner and trifecta in the Blue Grass Stakes for a $761.96 jackpot. Hit the late Pick 4 on Kentucky Oaks day for $915.48. And in the Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. Menez is not betting Journalism to win. Instead his best bet is a horse who will be "tough to catch down the stretch." Get Menez's full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Jody Demling, who hit the superfecta in the Kentucky Derby, is picking a horse who could be "the best value in the race." Find Demling's full Belmont Stakes wagering strategy at SportsLine.

Road to the Belmont Stakes

Here are the most significant races on the road to Saratoga Springs:

Oct. 27, Street Sense Stakes In what proved to be the most important 2-year-old race of last year, Sovereignty rallied for an impressive win at Churchill Downs.

Jan. 4, Maiden special weight Rodriguez broke his maiden with a 7-length win over Baeza (second).

Feb. 1, Robert B. Lewis Stakes Rodriguez (second) couldn't catch a stablemate who was gifted an early lead.

March 1, Fountain of Youth Despite coming off a four-plus month layoff, Sovereignty just got up to win.

March 1 San Felipe Stakes Journalism powered past a Bob Baffert duo, including Rodriguez (third), to stamp himself as the Derby favorite.

March 29, Florida Derby Sovereignty (second) ran well but couldn't catch a Brad Cox trainee.

April 5, UAE Derby Heart of Honor (second) was outgamed by Admire Daytona, losing by a nose.

April 5, Wood Memorial Allowed to return to his frontrunning ways, Rodriguez wired the field.

April 5, Santa Anita Derby Journalism overcame some traffic trouble to run down Baeza (second) for his fourth straight win.

May 3, Kentucky Derby Sovereignty outkicked race favorite Journalism (second) down the stretch to win by 1½ lengths; Baeza was a fast-closing third.

May 10, Peter Pan Stakes Despite a moderate early pace, Hill Road rallied to win the Belmont Stakes prep race at Aqueduct; Uncaged (sixth) never threatened.

May 17, Sir Barton Stakes Crudo went gate-to-wire for the second straight race, drawing off powerfully for a 7½-length win.

May 17, Preakness Stakes Blocked by two rivals with nowhere to go, Journalism powered his way through a hole that wasn't there and made up five lengths with a furlong to go to catch a seemingly home-free Gosger in one of the most remarkable finishes in Triple Crown history. Heart of Honor (fifth) was never a threat.

Belmont Stakes horses (morning-line odds)

1 Hill Road (10-1)

  • Trainer Chad Brown
  • Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.
  • Last race 1st in the Peter Pan Stakes by ¾ length
  • Career record 5 starts: 2 wins, 2 thirds
  • Career earnings $336,496
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 94 (2025 Peter Pan Stakes)
  • Sire Quality Road

Trainer Chad Brown's horses have won more than 2,800 races and earned more than $313.8 million over his 19-year training career. But none has won the Belmont Stakes. On Saturday, Hill Road can give Brown, who grew up in nearby Mechanicville, N.Y., arguably the biggest victory of his career ... See full profile.

2 Sovereignty (2-1)

  • Trainer Bill Mott
  • Jockey Junior Alvarado
  • Last race 1st in the Kentucky Derby by 1½ lengths
  • Career record 6 starts: 3 wins, 2 seconds
  • Career earnings $3,672,800
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 104 (2025 Kentucky Derby)
  • Sire Into Mischief

Five weeks ago in the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty unleashed his powerful late kick to outrun race favorite Journalism and win the Run for the Roses. After his connections decided to bypass the Preakness, Sovereignty is back but he isn't the favorite to win the final leg of the Triple Crown ... See full profile.

3 Rodriguez (6-1)

  • Trainer: Bob Baffert
  • Jockey: Mike Smith
  • Last race: First in the Wood Memorial by 3½ lengths
  • Career record: 5 starts: 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third
  • Career earnings: $522,800
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 101 (2025 Wood Memorial)
  • Sire: Authentic

After going gate-to-wire to win the Wood Memorial and earning his spot in the Kentucky Derby, this California speedball developed a quarter crack that kept him out of the Derby and Preakness Stakes. Now fully healed, Rodriguez is back and a threat to repeat his frontrunning magic ... See full profile.

4 Uncaged (30-1)

  • Trainer Todd Pletcher
  • Jockey Luis Saez
  • Last race Sixth in the Peter Pan Stakes by 10¼ lengths
  • Career record 4 starts: 2 wins
  • Career earnings $105,450
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 84 (2024 maiden special weight)
  • Sire Curlin

No horse enters the Belmont Stakes off a worse performance than Uncaged, who was beaten by more than 10 lengths in the Peter Pan Stakes. Despite that effort, the Todd Pletcher trainee is set to compete in the final leg of the Triple Crown and he is the co-longest shot in the field ... See full profile.

5 Crudo (15-1)

  • Trainer Todd Pletcher
  • Jockey John Velazquez
  • Last race 1st in the Sir Barton Stakes by 7½ lengths
  • Career record 3 starts: 2 wins
  • Career earnings $130,148
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 84 (2025 Sir Barton Stakes)
  • Sire Justify

No horse in the Belmont Stakes field is more appropriately named than Crudo, which means "raw" in Italian. This colt co-owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay has raced just three starts—the fewest of the Belmont entrants—winning two of them. On Saturday, Crudo will take a major jump in class when he enters the starting gate for the Belmont. ... See full profile.

6 Baeza (4-1)

  • Trainer: John Shirreffs
  • Jockey: Flavien Prat
  • Last race: Third in the Kentucky Derby by 1 and 3/4 lengths
  • Career record: 5 starts: 1 win, 2 seconds, 1 third
  • Career earnings: $648,500
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure: 102 (2025 Kentucky Derby)
  • Sire: McKinzie

The Belmont Stakes is being billed as a rematch between Journalism and Sovereignty. But Baeza was right behind those two in the Kentucky Derby and has a chance to spoil the party ... See full profile.

7 Journalism (8-5)

  • Trainer Michael McCarthy
  • Jockey Umberto Rispoli
  • Last race 1st in the Preakness Stakes by ½ length
  • Career record 7 starts: 5 wins, 1 second, 1 third
  • Career earnings $2,838,880
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 108 (2025 San Felipe Stakes)
  • Sire Curlin

Journalism's finish to the Preakness Stakes will go down as one of the most improbable in Triple Crown history. And now the horse that was billed as horse racing's Next Big Thing will get a chance to avenge his Kentucky Derby loss to Sovereignty. ... See full profile.

8 Heart of Honor (30-1)

  • Trainer Joseph Osborne
  • Jockey Saffie Osborne
  • Last race Fifth in the Preakness Stakes by 8¾ lengths
  • Career record 7 starts: 2 wins, 4 seconds
  • Career earnings $400,919
  • Best career Beyer Speed Figure 86 (2025 Preakness Stakes)
  • Sire Honor A.P.

The connections of Heart of Honor shipped the horse all the way from Dubai to race in the Preakness Stakes. And with few dirt races in Europe and Dubai over the summer, they have decided to continue on to the Belmont Stakes despite a pedestrian fifth place finish in the Preakness ... See full profile.