Belmont Stakes 2024: How to Enjoy it

Thumbnail: 2012_Belmont_Stakes.jpg By: Mike Lizzi (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

For the first time ever, the Belmont Stakes will be held at Saratoga Race Course (Flat/Thoroughbred Course) in Saratoga Springs, New York, because of $455 million of scheduled renovations to Belmont Park in 2024-25. There have been 20 Grade 1 races held at Saratoga in the track’s history, but none of them will be bigger than the upcoming 2024 Belmont Stakes.

The 2025 Belmont Stakes is also set to be held at the historic Saratoga Race Course.

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What Time is the 2024 Belmont Stakes?

The 156th running of the Belmont Stakes is scheduled to be held on Saturday, June 8, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, NY, on a dirt track. The Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York is considered the oldest venue for any major US sporting event—it opened in 1863—and it is the oldest thoroughbred racing track in the country.

What time is the Belmont Stakes set for?

The post time for the big race (Race 13) is set for 6:41 pm EDT (5:41 pm CDT/3:41 pm PDT). The weather forecast is currently calling for possible showers in the morning, sunshine later in the day with a high of 77°, and light 5-10 mph SW winds.

The $2,000,000 Belmont Stakes is usually a grueling 1 1/2 mile race, but it has been cut to 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs) this year to accommodate the Saratoga Race Course track’s oval configuration.

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What Horses are Expected to Run in the Belmont Stakes?

Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey are possible to run, as are current futures odds favorites Sierra Leone, Thorpedo Anna, Antiquarian, Honor Marie, Dornoch, West Saratoga, Batten Down, Tuscan Gold, The Wine Steward, and possibly Catching Freedom.

As of May 30, talented 3-year-old Fierceness is officially out of the Belmont Stakes, according to the Daily Racing Form, as the Todd Pletcher-trained bay colt will aim to return to the track in the Haskell Stakes on Saturday, July 20, at Monmouth Park.

Mystik Dan trainer Kenny McPeek said he will see if the Kentucky Derby winner races in the Belmont Stakes, but said that he won’t race filly and Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna in the Belmont Stakes if he does enter Mystik Dan in The Test of the Champion.

Sierra Leone (102) and Mystik Dan (101)—who has already shipped to Saratoga—are the only two possible entries in the Belmont Stakes with Beyer Ratings over 100. The final field will be determined closer to the race date, with the draw set for Monday, June 3.

Who Will be the 2024 Belmont Stakes Odds Favorite?

Popular online sportsbook William Hill had 3/2 odds on Sierra Leone as the betting favorite to win the Belmont Stakes, but remember the field was still not set. At press time, Mystik Dan trainer McPeek still hadn’t committed to entering the Kentucky Derby winner, and other horses may be joining the field.

Thorpedo Anna (6/1), Seize the Grey (7/1), Honor Marie (8/1). Batten Down (16/1), Antiquarian (16/1), West Saratoga (16/1), Dornoch (20/1), and The Wine Steward (25/1) were the oddsmakers longer shots to win the third leg of the Triple Crown.

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Who is the Biggest Underdog to Win the Belmont Stakes?

The biggest underdog to capture the Belmont Stakes was Sarava, who, at 70/1 odds, upset War Emblem in 2002 and ruined his bid to win the Triple Crown. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado, Sarava won the exciting race by a half-length over Medaglia D’Oro.

Sarava rewarded his betting backers that day in a big way, paying $142.50 (Win), $50.00 (Place), and $22.40 (Show). The race favorite, War Emblem, who stumbled at the start, finished in eighth place.

Who Has the Fastest Time Ever in the Belmont Stakes?

The fastest time in the Belmont Stakes is held by none other than maybe the greatest thoroughbred in history, Secretariat. Back in the 1973 Belmont Stakes, Ron Turcotte rode Secretariat to the win and the Triple Crown, shattering the track record with a time of 2:24.00 over the 1 1/2 miles.

Secretariat also recorded the fastest 1/2-, 3/4, 1- and 1 1/4-mile fractions in Belmont Stakes history. Easy Goer (2:26.00) had the second-fastest time in 1998, followed by A.P. Indy (2:26.13) in 1992, Risen Star (2:26.40) in 1988 and Point Given (2:26.56) in 2001.

What is the Official Cocktail of the Belmont Stakes?

Meanwhile, the mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, and the Black-Eyed Susan is the favorite cocktail in the Preakness Stakes. A mixed drink called the Belmont Jewel Cocktail is the official drink of the Belmont Stakes.

So, what is a Belmont Jewel Cocktail, you ask? It's a delicious combination of bourbon (1 1/2 ounces), lemonade (2 ounces), and pomegranate juice (1 ounce), with sparkling water if you want and a lemon wheel or a cherry or two as a garnish.

What is the Belmont Stakes Spectator Dress Code?

The attire for the third jewel of the Triple Crown usually depends on your type of ticket and seat location. Although the race will be held in upstate New York for the next two years, the Belmont Stakes outfits will be pretty much the same as they are in Elmont, NY.

Race attendees in the back will often opt for a more casual wardrobe, while ticket holders and dignitaries in the more exclusive areas will wear fancier clothes. There is a spectator dress code for the Belmont Stakes—spectators cannot wear shorts or short-sleeved shirts—and you can check out this list of recommendations Saratoga provides.

The brightly colored sun hats you see many women wearing are not required for Belmont Stakes outfits, but it is usually a requirement in most areas that men wear a collared shirt.

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How to Get Tickets to the 2024 Belmont Stakes

Buying tickets for the 2024 Belmont Stakes is relatively easy and first-time app users of TicketX can enjoy a 10% discount by using these special promo codes.

Watching 2024 Belmont Stakes on TV

If you can't attend the 156th Belmont Stakes in person, you can catch the race live on FOX TV or stream it live on the FOX app/website in the US. FOX, FS1, and FS2 will have extensive coverage from Saratoga on both Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8.

AMERICA'S DAY AT THE RACES will air on FS2 from 12 pm to 6 pm EDT, continue on FS1 on Friday, and then return on Saturday from 10:30 am to 4 pm EDT on FS1.

BELMONT DAY ON FOX will start with pre-race coverage at 4 pm EDT (1 pm PDT) on Saturday and will cover many G1 races. It will culminate with the running of the 2024 Belmont Stakes (Race 13), which has a 6:41 pm ET (5:41 pm CDT/3:41 pm PDT) post time.