Belmont Stakes at Saratoga is a Kentucky Derby rematch
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — The Triple Crown concludes Saturday with the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes.
The race is a rematch between Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and runner-up Journalism, who is the favorite after winning the Preakness. Derby third-place finisher Baeza also is in the field of eight.
Sovereignty is racing for the first time since the first Saturday in May. Owners and trainer Bill Mott decided not to enter Sovereignty in the Preakness because of the short, two-week turnaround.
Journalism is the only horse running in all three legs of the Triple Crown this year. Bob Baffert-trained Rodriguez is in the Belmont after being scratched from the Derby because of a minor foot bruise that also kept the colt out of the Preakness.
The Belmont is taking place for a second consecutive time at historic Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. The New York Racing Association temporarily relocated it there while Belmont Park on Long Island undergoes nearly half a billion dollars in renovations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sovereignty beats Journalism to win Belmont Stakes at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Sovereignty bested Journalism on Saturday in a Kentucky Derby rematch to win the 157th Belmont Stakes, the second hosted at Saratoga. Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado traversed the field of eight on a fast Saratoga track after downpours throughout the morning and early afternoon dried up before post time. Advertisement The 5-2 second favourite won in 2 minutes, 0.69 seconds, beating Preakness Stakes winner Journalism by three lengths. Journalism ended up in second again and Baeza was third — the same 1-2-3 as the Kentucky Derby. Journalism entered the gate at the Belmont as the 2-1 favourite, with Baeza the third favourite at 7-2. Sovereignty led off the first leg of the Triple Crown by winning the Derby in early May. The Bill Mott-trained colt also edged Journalism in that race. After the Derby win, the Godolphin-owned 3-year-old opted out of the Preakness to focus on the Belmont, forfeiting a shot at history to win the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown hasn't been won since 2018, when Bob Baffert's Justify won the 105th Belmont Stakes to secure the third jewel. Journalism was the only horse to run in all three legs, winning the Preakness. ___ AP horse racing: Spencer Ripchik, The Associated Press
UPI
19 minutes ago
- UPI
Sovereignty beats Journalism in Belmont Stakes
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty ran by Preakness Stakes winner Journalism in the stretch to win Saturday's Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo June 7 (UPI) -- Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty ran right by Preakness Stakes winner Journalism at mid-stretch and ran on to a definitive victory in Saturday's $2 million, Grade I Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. Sovereignty and Journalism finished first and second, respectively, in the Derby. While Journalism went on to win the Preakness Stakes, middle jewel of the Triple Crown, two weeks later, trainer Bill Mott rested Sovereignty for the Belmont Stakes. The five-week respite paid off. As the early leaders faded turning into the stretch run in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont, it was Journalism who surged to the front. But jockey Junior Alvarado aboard Sovereignty had that rival in his sights all the way and dominated the final 200 yards. He was going away at the finish, winning by open lengths. Sovereignty is owned by his breeder, Godolphin, founded by Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai. "To come back here again after that victory in the Kentucky Derby and to be a really, really good horse, it was a fantastic result for us today," said Godolphin's U.S. representative, Michael Banahan. "The form held up today," Mott said. "The first three horses in the Derby were the first three today."
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Angels reliever Robert Stephenson sidelined indefinitely by stretched biceps nerve
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — A pair of MRI tests revealed no structural damage to Robert Stephenson's surgically repaired right elbow, but the Los Angeles Angels reliever was diagnosed with a stretched biceps nerve that will sideline him indefinitely. 'The good news is there's no major injury or anything. It's just a matter of how long it's going to take,' Stephenson said Saturday night before a game against the Seattle Mariners. 'It could be something that disappears overnight. It could be something that takes a couple weeks or longer. They're kind of tricky.' Advertisement The 32-year-old Stephenson was expected to be one of the team's top relievers after signing a three-year, $33-million deal in January of 2024, but he missed all of last season after undergoing an ulnar collateral ligament repair with an internal brace in May of 2024. He returned with an encouraging 12-pitch, perfect inning against the New York Yankees on May 28 but felt some discomfort in the bullpen while warming up for a May 30 appearance in Cleveland, a game in which Stephenson was pulled after three pitches. 'You can't treat it like a muscle or a ligament or anything, so we're waiting for it to settle down before I start throwing again,' Stephenson said. 'It's just kind of a freak injury. It's weird. I don't think they've seen stuff like this very often. (The doctors) said they've seen something similar in 2018, but I don't think there's much to work with.' ___ AP MLB:
