2025 Belmont Stakes odds, draw, and post positions: Journalism the favorite, just ahead of Sovereignty

New York Post

2 days ago

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The field for the 2025 Belmont Stakes — which will be run for the second straight year at Saratoga Race Course as Belmont Park undergoes renovations — is set.
There are eight horses in the field for the final leg of the 2025 Triple Crown, but there are two clear headliners: Journalism and Sovereignty.
No. 7 Journalism, fresh off an electrifying win at the Preakness as an even-money favorite, was installed as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line, just ahead of No. 2 Sovereignty, the 2025 Kentucky Derby champion.
'Looking at where we're drawn, there's a little bit of speed inside of us,' Journalism's trainer Michael McCarthy said. 'Obviously, the horse on outside [Heart of Honor] was a little rambunctious [in the gate] in the Preakness. I see us running into the first turn — all these Triple Crown races have a very honest pace — and I think we'll be forwardly placed.'
Sovereignty, who skipped the Preakness after upsetting Journalism to win the Run for the Roses, was tagged with 2-1 odds for the Belmont.
'He's improved — as many of these horses have,' Sovereignty's trainer, Bill Mott, said. 'This entire group, if you look at their form and the way they've developed over the course of this year, I think they've made steady progress. It should be an interesting race on Saturday.'
While you can expect Sovereignty and Journalism to attract the lion's share of the betting attention at Saratoga on Saturday, there are a couple of other entrants that were priced as contenders on the morning line.
Jockey Junior Alvarado celebrates winning the Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty.
AP
No. 6 Baeza, who ran an impressive third as a trendy late entry at the Derby, is the third favorite at 4-1, just ahead of Bob Baffert's Rodriguez.
No. 3 Rodriguez (6-1) sat out the first two legs of the Triple Crown with an injury to his foot, but has been cleared for the trip to Saratoga. His last start was a win at the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
You can expect plenty of exotics tying Baeza and Rodriguez to one, or both, of the favorites, but don't be surprised if these odds drift a bit, as this race will feature a lopsided handle with money pouring in on the two heavyweights.
It's clear the oddsmakers see this as a three-tiered race with the two favorites, two contenders, and then everybody else.
No. 1 Hill Road, the winner of last month's Peter Pan Stakes at Aqueduct, is next up with 10-1 odds.
He will be ridden by two-time Belmont champion Irad Ortiz Jr. and is trained by Chad Brown.
Crudo, who will start in the No. 5 position, is 15-1.
The two biggest long shots in the field are No. 4 Uncaged and No. 8 Heart of Honor, both of whom were priced as 30/1 roughies on the morning line.
2025 Belmont Stakes odds
Number Horse Odds 1 Hill Road 10-1 2 Sovereignty 2-1 3 Rodriguez 6-1 4 Uncaged 30-1 5 Crudo 15-1 6 Baeza 4-1 7 Journalism 8-5 8 Heart of Honor 30-1