Everything to know about the iconic Belmont Stakes trophy
The Belmont Stakes, the oldest and final jewel of the Triple Crown of American horse racing, has been running since 1867. It was founded by and named after August Belmont Sr., a prominent figure in the history of New York society, and was first held at Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx.
Twenty-nine years later, Belmont's son, August Belmont Jr., commissioned the creation of the trophy presented to the winner of the race, and that silverware is still being awarded today.
With the Belmont Stakes being the final race in the trio of prominent American horse races, the trophy represents the culmination of racing greatness. The trophy is made of solid silver and stands 27-inches tall, weighing 30 pounds. Created by the renowned jewelry company Tiffany & Co., the trophy is shaped like a bowl, supported by three Thoroughbred horse statuettes: Eclipse, Herod, and Matchem. The horse perched atop the bowl is a Fenian, the horse that won the third Belmont Stakes in 1869 for Belmont Sr.
[MORE: 2025 Belmont Stakes odds, predictions: Favorites, picks and more]
The August Belmont Trophy is not kept permanently by the winner. Instead, the winner receives a smaller replica of the trophy to keep permanently, along with a silver plate engraved with the names of all previous winners.
Sunday will mark the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes, where another jockey, owner and team will be awarded with the storied trophy. In anticipation of that moment, here's a look back at the history of the Belmont Stakes trophy. Past winners and notable moments in Belmont Stakes history
First Winner
In 1867, Leonard Jerome oversaw the building of Jerome Park, which was sponsored and financed by August Belmont Sr., to hold the 1st Running of the Belmont Stakes. Ruthless, a thoroughbred filly, was jockeyed by Gilbert Patrick to win the inaugural edition of the race.
First Triple Crown Winner
Sir Barton won the 51st Running of the Belmont Stakes in 1919 to become the first Triple Crown winner. The term had yet to be coined prior to Sir Barton's victory.
World Record Holder
In 1973, Secretariat set the world record for 1.5 miles on dirt, finishing the Belmont Stakes in 2 minutes and 24 seconds. The horse won the race by a significant 31 lengths. Secretariat's dominant win in the Belmont Stakes also ensured a Triple Crown.
[MORE: 2025 Belmont Stakes: Post time, TV schedule, horses, post positions]
End of a Drought
American Pharoah captured the Triple Crown in 2015, edging Frosted to earn the first Triple Crown since Affirmed won it in 1978. The 37-year drought between Triple Crowns was the longest since Sir Barton was the first to do it.
Last Triple Crown Winner
Justify was the most recent horse to win the Triple Crown, achieving it in 2018. Similar to American Pharoah, it was trained by Bob Baffert. Baffert also trained Rodriguez, a horse with 6-to-1 odds to win the Belmont Stakes in 2025.
Justify's stance as the last Triple Crown winner won't come to an end in 2025, as Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby and Journalism took the Preakness, but either of those horses could help their jockey, trainer, and owner hoist the historic Belmont Stakes' trophy, or it could be another horse that races its way to earning the storied silver bowl.
[MORE: Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza are 'top tier' in crop of Belmont Stakes horses]
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Sovereignty beats Journalism to win Belmont Stakes: Live reaction and analysis
Sovereignty wins two legs of this year's Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby Associated Press Sovereignty has won today's 157th running of the Belmont Stakes, the third race in this year's Triple Crown. Sovereignty won two legs of this year's Triple Crown after winning the Kentucky Derby in May. Sovereignty beat Journalism, which won the Preakness Stakes, to the line for the win. The winning margin was three lengths. Baeza finished third. The race took place at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for the second straight year as Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., is undergoing construction. GO FURTHER Sovereignty surges down the stretch to win the Belmont Stakes Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Teresa Genaro The rain has also dampened the traditional "run for the tables" to snag a picnic table in Saratoga's capacious and ordinarily beautiful backyard. People line up for hours outside the gates before they open and then dash to their favorite spots to claim a table. On most big days, all the tables are gone within a few minutes of the gates opening. This morning, an hour after the gates opened at 9 a.m. ET, there were still tables available. So when turf races are moved to the dirt (they are seldom canceled entirely), you have horses that run only or primarily or best on grass, and their trainers have to desire to run them on a sloppy dirt course. Often, the distance of the race is also changed, because of the different circumferences of the various courses. Those scratches then lead to very small fields, which makes for terrible betting and low prices. As of now, Race 9, the Grade 1, $500,000 Jaipur is still on the turf, as is Race 12, the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan. Race 6, the Grade 2, $300,000 Wonder Again and race 10, the Grade 3, $300,000 Pennine Ridge are off the turf. The rain has been torrential since early this morning, and its effect on today's racing card is already profound. Four races, including two stakes have already been taken off the turf, and as of 11 a.m. ET, 38 horses have been scratched. Why does this matter? What's a little rain, anyway? Rain softens the grass courses, which can prove dangerous for horses and which can also destroy the courses when the loose soil is kicked up by the horses' hooves. Some horses also just don't like running on soft ground. The weather is definitely the story. It's been pouring, everything is muddy, the grass races are off the turf. The Athletic The NBA Finals are underway, as is Stanley Cup Final, all while the MLB season is gradually rolling along. There's no better place to follow all the action than The Athletic , with our award-winning journalism covering all of the above and more. You can subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here. Imagn Images While this race is historically held at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., for the second consecutive year due to construction, the race is being held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The event will return to Belmont Park in 2026. As a result, the race will not feature the typical 12-furlong or 1 1/2-mile length. Instead, the race will be 10 furlongs or 1 1/4 miles. Imagn Images Early coverage of the Belmont Stakes will be broadcast on FS1 from 10:30 a.m. ET until 2:30 p.m. ET. The remainder of the coverage can be found on Fox. You can also stream coverage on the Fox Sports App or Fubo. Imagn Images The post time for the Belmont Stakes is set for 7:04 p.m. ET. That is 4:04 p.m. PT and 6:04 p.m. CT. Welcome to The Athletic's live coverage of the 2025 Belmont Stakes! While this race is historically held at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., for the second consecutive year due to construction, the race is being held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The event will return to Belmont Park in 2026. Regardless, it should be an engaging day of racing on the track and of course, the winner of the Stakes will take home a purse of $2 million. Follow along throughout the day for the latest odds, analysis and reaction.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Belmont Stakes 2025 Results & Payouts After Sovereignty's Big Win
Belmont Stakes 2025 Results & Payouts After Sovereignty's Big Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Belmont Stakes 2025 results are in: Sovereignty followed up a Kentucky Derby win with another big victory. Advertisement After a long layoff following the Kentucky Derby win, Sovereignty finished strong in Saturday's race to come in first place. After Sovereignty, Preakness Stakes winner Journalism came in second place and Baeza in third -- the same final three as the Kentucky Derby. Rodriguez came in fourth place. Much of the drama for Saturday's Belmont Stakes came to an early end when Sovereignty was pulled from the Preakness Stakes, ending any chance of a Triple Crown winner. Trainer Bill Mott said he had to do what was best for the horse, which meant skipping the short layoff between the first two races in the Triple Crown to instead focus on the Belmont Stakes. Advertisement "We want to do what's best for the horse," Mott told reporters at Churchill Downs. "Of course, you always think about a Triple Crown, and that's not something we're not going to think about." The decision led prominent owner Mike Repole to offer a proposal to push the Preakness Stakes back several weeks, making the Belmont Stakes the second of the three major races. "The Preakness being run two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, in this new day and age in racing, shows the lack of vision and leadership needed to evolve this sport," Repole wrote. "I expect the top three finishers of this year's Derby to skip the Preakness and go right to the Belmont." Advertisement Related: Toby Keith's 2025 Kentucky Derby Horse Carries on Late Singer's Legacy This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sovereignty reigns over Journalism again in Belmont
Sovereignty won the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday with Journalism coming in second. (AL BELLO) Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty won the 157th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, surging past favored Journalism just as he did at Churchill Downs to finish with two legs of this year's Triple Crown. After sitting out the Preakness, won in scintillating fashion by Journalism, Sovereignty returned to win the anticipated rematch in convincing fashion, pulling away in the final straight to relegate Journalism to second again. Advertisement Baeza was third to complete the repeat of the Kentucky Derby one-two-three. Italian jockey Umberto Rispoli guided the Michael McCarthy-trained Journalism to the front as they turned for home, closely tracked by Sovereignty -- who was taken wide by jockey Junior Alvarado and powered past to win by three lengths. Sovereignty, who had given the Godolphin stables a long-awaited first Kentucky Derby victory, became the first horse two win two legs of the Triple Crown since Justify became the 13th horse to sweep all three in 2018. Michael Banahan, Godolphin USA's director of bloodstock, said the decision to give Sovereignty the five weeks' rest he has become used to paid off with a "fantastic result". Advertisement "We knew he was a very good horse going into the Kentucky Derby and he showed it that day. "And to come back here again and beat a really, really good horse like Journalism today, running one-two again like they did in the Derby -- it was a fantastic result for us here." Sovereignty trainer Bill Mott said he was "on a cloud". "The horse proved himself," McCarthy said. "The form held up -- the first three finishers in the Derby were one-two-three today, and I think it just was a great race." For the second straight year the grade one race, with a purse of $2 million, was run at Saratoga because of ongoing renovations at Belmont Park, the distance again reduced from the Belmont's traditional 1 1/2 miles to 1 1/4. Journalism was the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year. bb/sev
