Belmont Stakes Winners, Records, and Trends

The 2026 Belmont Stakes happens Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course. The third and final race of the Triple Crown, it is expected to feature a showdown between the top two horses in the Kentucky Derby, who were separated by only a neck at Churchill Downs: Golden Tempo and Renegade. Ocelli, third in the Kentucky Derby and fourth in the Preakness, may also line up against these familiar foes, as well as Kentucky Derby fourth-place Chief Wallabee.

But, before looking ahead to the 2026 Belmont Stakes, let’s take a look back at some of the Belmont records, some recent trends in the Belmont Stakes, and the winners over its long and storied history.

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Belmont Stakes Records

Here are some of the most important records in the Belmont Stakes.

Fastest Belmont Stakes

At the 2026 distance of 1 ¼ miles, Sovereignty set the record in 2025, running the distance in 2:00.69. However, this distance is a historical anomaly: the Belmont has only been run at 1 ¼ miles eight times: in 2024, 2025, and six runnings in the 1890s and 1900s. The times over a century ago were much slower, Dornoch smashed the old record with a 2:01.64 time in 2024, and then Sovereignty was almost a second faster the next year.

Of course, at its traditional 1 ½-mile distance, the fastest Belmont Stakes time was the 2:24.0 run by Triple Crown winner Secretariat in 1973. Over five decades later, the time is still the world record for 1 ½ miles on dirt.

Biggest Win Margin

Secretariat’s 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes is the longest winning margin in the race. There is a blue and white pole 31 lengths from the Belmont Park finish line to commemorate his finish margin over Twice a Prince.

The only horse that possibly came close was Hanover’s win margin in 1887 over Oneko, his only foe. Measurement of long margins was not as accurately recorded in those days, but official accounts of the time said that Hanover won by 75 yards, which is about 28 lengths.

Two other horses won the Belmont by 20 lengths or more. Count Fleet secured his Triple Crown with a 25-length victory in 1943. Man o’ War, in a match race, won New York’s signature race by 20 lengths in 1920.

Winning Post Positions

Dating back to 1905, the most successful post position for the Belmont Stakes has been the rail, responsible for 24 winners in that time. Other post positions with more than ten winners include post 3 (16 winners), post 5 (15 winners), posts 2 and 7 (14 winners), and post 4 (10 winners). Every post up to post 13 has produced at least one winner of the Belmont Stakes, but inner to middle ones have been generally better.

Field Size Records

The Belmont Stakes has never been a walkover, but it has been a match race on five occasions. Hanover beat Oneko in 1887, Sir Dixon beat Prince Royal in 1888, Patron beat Shellbark in 1892, Sweep beat Duke of Ormonde in 1910, and Man o’ War defeated Donnacona in 1920.

Though the Belmont Stakes has never had the 20-horse chaos of the Derby, Caveat won in a field of 15 in 1983. The race has had a field of 14 on three occasions as well, most recently in 2013 when Palace Malice avenged his difficult outing at Churchill Downs with a victory in New York’s signature horse race.

Belmont Stakes Trends

2026 is a strange year for the Belmont Stakes in the sense that it is being run at 1 ¼ miles at Saratoga Race Course, not its usual 1 ½ miles at Belmont Park. However, the race is expected to return to its historical home in 2027, meaning that looking at the trends is not just a fun little exercise, but could help you pick winners in the future.

Last-Out Starts

Since the advent of the points system for the 2013 Triple Crown season, most Belmont winners last raced in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs: seven of the 13. Three have come straight out of the Peter Pan (G3), two from the Preakness, and one from the Florida Derby (G1) – though that was Tiz the Law in 2020, when the race was the first of the Triple Crown series. From runnings during a normal racing calendar, look to the Triple Crown races or the Peter Pan for Belmont winners.

Running Style

Looking across points-era runnings of the Belmont Stakes, tactical speed has been an excellent attribute for winning horses. In those 13 runnings, Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify are the only ones who led at every call. However, all but three of those points-era winners tracked within a few lengths of the pace. And even the three horses who rallied from midpack or further back – Creator, Sir Winston, and Essential Quality – made early enough moves to be in contention down the lane. The Belmont Stakes has not been a race for truly deep closers.

Belmont Stakes Winners by Year

These are the winners throughout Belmont Stakes history, from a Thursday afternoon at Morris Park in 1867 to the present day.

Frequently Asked Questions: 2026 Belmont Stakes

Who is the morning line favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes?

Renegade, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the 2026 Belmont Stakes. Renegade draws from post position 4 in the 9-horse field. Chief Wallabee, also trained by a top conditioner and ridden by Junior Alvarado out of post 3, is the second choice at 3-1, followed by Golden Tempo at 9-2. You can bet on the Belmont Stakes morning line favorite and the full field at FanDuel Racing.

When and where is the 2026 Belmont Stakes and what time is post time?

The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. Post time for The Test of the Champion is 7:04 p.m. ET. This is the third and final year the race will be held at Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes a full reconstruction project. The race is contested at 1¼ miles due to the configuration of Saratoga's main track, shorter than the traditional 1½-mile distance at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes will return to a newly reimagined Belmont Park beginning in 2027. New FanDuel Racing users can place their first bet of $10 and get $50 back in Racing Bonus ahead of race day.

How can I bet on the 2026 Belmont Stakes and are there any promotions available?

You can bet on the 2026 Belmont Stakes winner and all associated wagering markets at FanDuel Racing. Belmont Stakes odds are available across win, place, show, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta markets. New FanDuel Racing users can take advantage of a promotional offer where you place your first bet of $10 on any race at any track and receive $50 back in Racing Bonus. Additional 2026 Belmont Stakes promos are available on FanDuel Racing. The full morning line odds for all 9 horses, including the 2-1 favorite Renegade and longshots Vitruvian Man at 30-1 and Ottinho at 20-1 — are listed above. Stay updated on live Belmont Stakes odds (fanduel.com/belmont-stakes-odds) as they shift ahead of the Saturday, June 6 post time.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.