The third and final leg of the Triple Crown happens Saturday, June 7: the Belmont Stakes. Like last year, it will be a little different than the traditional Belmont: it will be run at 1 ¼ miles at Saratoga Race Course, since Belmont Park is still under construction.
The race offers a $2 million purse, and drew a field of eight – including Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, Preakness winner Journalism, and rising stars like Baeza, Crudo, and Rodriguez. At stake is not only that huge purse, but also the blanket of carnations and a place in horse racing history.
It’s not only a great opportunity for connections of the horses, but also for anyone who enjoys betting horse races. Take some time to find the best place to bet the Belmont Stakes online and find out which horses are best suited for the distance and pace scenario, and you will be set up for your best horse racing betting experience yet!
Betting the Belmont Stakes Online
Betting the Belmont Stakes online is the best way to be a part of the action. Our expert online sportsbook reviews will help you find out the best places to play. All of our recommended sites offer trusted payouts and deposits, great user interfaces, and market-leading odds, and they all allow you to play from home or on the go!
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The Triple Crown So Far
In a thrilling edition of the Kentucky Derby, Sovereignty outfinished favored Journalism to win the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Bill Mott decided to rest the winner until the Belmont, meaning there was no Triple Crown at stake.
Journalism returned two weeks later in the Preakness. Though he was bottled up badly in upper stretch, Journalism bulled through foes under a fearless ride from Umberto Rispoli, reeling in longshot Gosger, who looked like a sure winner midstretch.
Sovereignty and Journalism clash again in the Belmont. Their six other foes include Baeza, who was a fast-finishing third in the Kentucky Derby; Rodriguez, who won the Wood Memorial but scratched from the Derby because of a foot bruise; and Crudo, who won a stakes on the Preakness undercard and tries graded foes for the first time. Peter Pan (G3) winner Hill Road, UAE Derby (G2) second Heart of Honor, and allowance winner Uncaged complete the field.
Belmont Stakes Field and Odds
These are the official entrants for the 2025 Belmont Stakes, along with their post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning line odds:
- Hill Road (Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 10/1
- Sovereignty (Bill Mott/Junior Alvarado) - 2/1
- Rodriguez (Bob Baffert/Mike Smith) - 6/1
- Uncaged (Todd Pletcher/Luis Saez) - 30/1
- Crudo (Todd Pletcher/John Velazquez) - 15/1
- Baeza (John Shirreffs/Flavien Prat) - 4/1
- Journalism (Michael McCarthy/Umberto Rispoli) - 8/5
- Heart of Honor (Jamie Osborne/Saffie Osboren) - 30/1
Remember that morning line odds are not guaranteed, but rather the track’s best estimate of prices. The best bet in the Belmont Stakes is to track prices leading online sportsbooks. Since they offer fixed-odds betting on major events, you can lock in the best price when you see an overlay on your selection in the race just by placing a bet!
These are the Belmont Stakes odds on leading contenders in the race:
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journalism | +160 | +185 | +175 |
| Sovereignty | +200 | +175 | +200 |
| Baeza | +450 | +400 | +425 |
| Rodriguez | +500 | +500 | +525 |
| Hill Road | +1000 | +1600 | +1200 |
Belmont Best Bet
Baeza is the horse to bet in the 2025 Belmont Stakes. He has to turn the tables on Sovereignty and Journalism, who beat him in the Kentucky Derby, but there are several reasons he can.
In the Kentucky Derby, he was hung out on the far outside, post 19, and also had to deal with traffic on the turn for home. He was also green down the lane. Even with those impediments, he still managed to finish a close third, missing catching Journalism for place by just a neck. A cleaner trip and that kind of a late run again at the same 1 ¼-mile distance could win.
Furthermore, he doesn’t have to be as far off the pace as he was in the Kentucky Derby. If the pace isn’t as sharp, which is possible, Baeza’s California form shows he can run a winning race from closer up, as well. Flavien Prat, the best big-race rider in the game right now, has plenty of options on a horse who will be value on the tote board.
More Belmont Contenders
Of course, both Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism figure. Both have the 1 ¼-mile stamina, both have consistent records, and both can run a winning race whether they get a hot pace in front or something more moderate.
The nod between those two goes to Sovereignty, who has had five weeks to freshen after the Kentucky Derby, compared to the three weeks Journalism has had after a tough win in the Preakness. And, though Journalism likely gets the jump on Sovereignty – that was the case in in the Kentucky Derby as well, and Sovereignty still finished best. Even so, neither would be a surprise, and both have a huge chance to finish in the money.
Belmont Longshot
The longshot to watch in the 2025 Belmont Stakes is Crudo, the better of two horses for Belmont Stakes powerhouse Todd Pletcher. Crudo has class to prove, as he comes out of a win in the Sir Barton on the Preakness undercard, a race restricted to horses who had never won an open stakes. However, Crudo got to the front that day and demolished them.
The biggest question is the presence of both Rodriguez and Crudo, since both have shown speed. But, with Rodriguez’s schedule being touch-and-go since the foot bruise that kept him out of the Kentucky Derby, Crudo stands to gain if Rodriguez misfires. And, even if he doesn’t? Crudo has the driver’s seat on the outside, and has more upside to prove that he may not be one-way speed after all, since his only misfire came in a sprint debut after a poor start.
Free Belmont Bets
Your betting account is set up and you know the best horses in the field. Now, all that’s left to do is place your bets on the Belmont! Here are the best bets for the 2025 Belmont Stakes!
- $20 to win - #6 Baeza
- $1 exacta key - #6 Baeza over #2 Sovereignty, #5 Crudo, and #7 Journalism
- $1 trifecta key - #6 Baeza with #2 Sovereignty, #5 Crudo, and #7 Journalism
