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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
2025 Belmont Stakes field: Meet the contenders set to battle at Saratoga
The stage is set at Saratoga Race Course for the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown. As fans gather in New York for this historic showdown, all eyes are on which 3-year-old will emerge as the season's ultimate star. Also Read: Belmont Stakes 2025: Fans and horses set stage for last leg of the Triple Crown The following are the eight contenders at this year's Belmont Stakes, as reported by BloodHorse. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: Chad Brown After a surprising third-place finish at 61-1 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, this colt transitioned to Chad Brown's barn. Hill Road continued to show promise, placing third in the Tampa Bay Derby before rallying to win the Peter Pan Stakes. He's well-suited for the Belmont distance, though a slower early pace could limit his late-running style. Jockey: Junior AlvaradoTrainer: Bill Mott Trainer: Bill Mott Sovereignty surged from 16th to capture the Kentucky Derby with an impressive closing kick and has been remarkably consistent since his debut. With five weeks of rest and preparation, the distance of the Belmont shouldn't be an issue. Sovereignty appears primed for a strong performance in his anticipated rematch with Preakness winner Journalism. Jockey: Mike Smith Trainer: Bob Baffert Rodriguez, the Wood Memorial (G2) winner, is one of the few in the field with early speed and could control the pace if left alone up front. Sidelined by a foot injury that kept him out of the Derby and Preakness, he's now fully recovered, according to trainer Bob Baffert. If the pace stays manageable, he could prove tough to reel in down the stretch. Jockey: Luis Saez Trainer: Todd Pletcher This colt enters the Belmont Stakes as one of the biggest longshots—and for good reason. His lone stakes effort resulted in a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Peter Pan, and he'll need a dramatic turnaround to contend with the top-tier 3-year-olds in this field. Also Read: 2025 Belmont Stakes handicap predictions: Top picks for this year's high-stakes race Jockey: John Velazquez Trainer: Todd Pletcher Another longshot in the field, this colt steps up to Grade 1 company for the first time after an easy, but slow, win in the Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico. While his early speed could complicate things for Rodriguez, he's unlikely to pose a serious threat in the final furlong against this class of competition. Jockey: Flavien Prat Trainer: John Shirreffs Baeza is a serious contender who can't be overlooked, especially after his powerful late charge in the Kentucky Derby that landed him a close third, just behind Journalism. He also finished a strong second to the same rival in the Santa Anita Derby. With the potential to sit closer to the pace on Saturday, Baeza could be poised for a breakthrough performance in the Belmont. Jockey: Umberto Rispoli Trainer: Michael McCarthy Journalism delivered a spectacular performance in the Preakness, muscling through traffic at the top of the stretch and making up five lengths on Gosger in the final furlong to win convincingly. Though the Belmont marks his third race in five weeks, the raw talent he showcased at Pimlico suggests he could be an exceptional 3-year-old with more to prove. Jockey: Saffie Osborne Trainer: Jamie Osborne Making his U.S. debut in the Preakness, this colt finished a distant fifth and faces an uphill battle to improve enough to pose a serious threat in the Belmont Stakes.
Hindustan Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Preakness Stakes 2025: Meet the jockeys competing for Triple Crown glory
A competitive group of 3-year-olds is set to battle in the milestone 150th edition of the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course. The lineup of jockeys adds an intriguing layer to the race, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans, including past Preakness champions, and fresh faces making their debut in this iconic Triple Crown event. Also Read: Preakness Stakes 2025: Journalism vs Goal Oriented- who will take home the crown? Here's a closer look at the riders set to guide their mounts in Saturday's showdown, as reported by Blood Horse. Nik JuarezAge: 31 Originally from: Westminster, Md. Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: none Best finish: n/a 2025 Preakness horse: American Promise Nik Juarez, who rode American Promise in his Kentucky Derby debut, returns for his first Preakness appearance aboard the Justify colt. With a decade of experience across various tracks, Juarez has built a strong reputation, most recently at Oaklawn Park, where he developed a key partnership with American Promise's legendary trainer, D. Wayne Lukas. Age: 33 Originally from: Chile Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: none Best finish: n/a 2025 Preakness horse: Pay Billy Raul Mena, a native of Chile, started his career in horse racing at just 14, initially working as a groom before becoming a jockey. Despite a serious injury from a 2011 spill, Mena made a strong comeback and scored his first U.S. win in 2015. This year, he's riding high as the regular jockey for Pay Billy, a standout in the Mid-Atlantic region who has won three of his last four starts Age: 32 Originally from: Puerto Rico Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: 6 Best finish: 2nd in 2021 (Midnight Bourbon) and 2023 (Blazing Sevens) 2025 Preakness horse: River Thames Irad Ortiz Jr. came close to adding a Woodlawn Vase replica to his collection in 2023 when Blazing Sevens finished just a head behind National Treasure in the Preakness. Ortiz recently rode the River Thames for the first time in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), where the colt ran a strong race, finishing third by only three-quarters of a length. Although River Thames qualified for the Kentucky Derby, he skipped the race, making him a fresh contender who could be primed for a strong performance in the Preakness. Age: 31 Originally from: Puerto Rico Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: 5 Best finish: 1st in 2022 (Early Voting) 2025 Preakness horse: Clever Again Jose Ortiz is having an exceptional year, solidifying his Hall of Fame credentials with impressive wins and earnings across top tracks. After finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby aboard Sandman, Ortiz shifts to ride the promising Clever Again, whom he's guided to two straight wins, including a victory in the Hot Springs Stakes for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Age: 23 Originally from: Great Britain Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: none Best finish: n/a 2025 Preakness horse: Heart of Honour At just 23, Saffie Osborne is set to make history as the first woman to ride in a Triple Crown race in the U.S. A rising star, she began her career in 2020 and secured her first group stakes win in 2023. Known for making headlines in Dubai, where she became the first female jockey to win at Meydan, Osborne now has the opportunity to become the first woman to capture the Preakness. Age: 32 Originally from: France Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: 2 Best finish: 1st in 2021 (Rombauer) 2025 Preakness horse: Goal Oriented Flavien Prat has maintained an elite level of performance in 2025, following a record-setting year in 2024 that earned him his first Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey. Prat claimed his first Preakness victory in 2021 aboard Rombauer and added another top-three finish last year with Catching Freedom, finishing third. Now, he returns to Pimlico with high hopes for another strong showing in the iconic race. Age: 36 Originally from: Italy Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: none Best finish: n/a 2025 Preakness horse: Journalism Umberto Rispoli has been one of California's top jockeys for the past five years, but in 2025, he's emerged as a national contender, largely due to his success with Journalism. The pair has teamed up for three graded stakes victories since December, along with a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Derby just two weeks ago, solidifying Rispoli's status as one of the sport's rising stars. Age: 32 Originally from: Panama Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: 4 Best finish: 2nd in 2018 (Bravazo) 2025 Preakness horse: Gosger Luis Saez will look to secure his first Preakness win just two days before his 33rd birthday. One of North America's top jockeys, Saez has ranked in the top 10 for earnings every year since 2015, recently finishing with an impressive 23% win rate at Keeneland. In the 2018 Preakness, he guided Bravazo to a narrow second-place finish behind Triple Crown winner Justify, making him a proven contender on the Pimlico track. Age: 54 Originally from: Puerto Rico Previous rides in the Preakness Stakes: 13 Best finish: 1st in 2023 (National Treasure) 2025 Preakness horse: Sandman Two years ago, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez secured his first Preakness win with National Treasure, expertly managing the colt's speed to hold off Blazing Sevens in a dramatic finish. After a year away, Velazquez returns to the Preakness aboard Sandman, a horse with a very different running style. With his vast experience, Velazquez will need to adjust his tactics to make the most of Sandman's capabilities as he aims for another iconic victory.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Punishment Announced for Sovereignty Jockey Junior Alvarado After Kentucky Derby
A week ago today, May 3, 2025, jockey Junior Alvarado led Sovereignty to victory in the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Just a few days later, trainer Bill Mott revealed Sovereignty wouldn't be running in the 150th Preakness Stakes, ending any hope of a Triple Crown winner this year. Advertisement "I don't know of anyone in the camp that was interested in running him back in two weeks. We definitely discussed it, but we opted to point to the Belmont. He wasn't any more tired than you would expect after the Derby," Mott said, via Blood Horse. "He came back in pretty good order. But he's had three hard races this year and the race in the mud (the Kentucky Derby), it was a tough one. "It's not the fact that you run in the Derby and then you run back in two weeks. It's not that horses can't do that. We opted to look at the long term and his whole career. Fast forward just two days later, and Sovereignty was back in the headlines - or better yet, his jockey was. On May 9, 2025, stewards determined Alvarado struck Sovereignty eight times during the Kentucky Derby, twice more than the legal limit. Following the rules violation, Alvarado was hit with a $62,000 fine and a two-day racing suspension, according to Blood Horse. The racing site noted this wasn't an unexpected outcome for Alvarado, who knew he broke the rules. Advertisement "I wasn't galloping by 10 (lengths). When the extra whip happened, I was right next to the favorite and I needed to do what I needed to do at the time," Alvarado said after the race. "After (watching a replay), I saw I went over, but I had no time to think about that (in the moment). I just wanted to win the biggest race in America." Sovereignty is scheduled to run in the final leg of the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on June 4, 2025. Related: Everyone Made the Same Joke After Journalism's Kentucky Derby Loss
