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Triple Crown 2015: When is the Belmont Stakes?

By Patrick Schmidt

Jun 7, 2014; Elmont, NY, USA; (Left to right) Joe Bravo aboard Matterhorn (3), Victor Espinoza aboard California Chrome (2), and Robby Albarado aboard Medal Count (1) come down the front stretch during the 2014 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 7, 2014; Elmont, NY, USA; (Left to right) Joe Bravo aboard Matterhorn (3), Victor Espinoza aboard California Chrome (2), and Robby Albarado aboard Medal Count (1) come down the front stretch during the 2014 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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The third leg of the triple crown will take place June 6, 2015 with the Belmont Stakes.

It’s called the Test of the Champion and for good reason because the track at Belmont Park is a grueling 1.5 miles long and comes two weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

The Belmont Stakes has made 12 horses triple crown winners, most recently Affirmed in 1978, who won the third leg of the triple crown to enter legendary status as one of the greatest thoroughbreds of all-time.

But more often than not, the Belmont Stakes has served as the end of a triple crown pursuit with 13 horses since Affirmed in 1978 entering the gate at Belmont Park with a shot at the triple crown to only come up short. Last year, California Chrome won the Derby and the Preakness and was chasing down history before he ran out of gas against a fresh field and finished in fourth place behind Tonalist who denied his bid to be lucky No. 13 in the triple crown record books.

This year’s Belmont Stakes, the 147th running, will take place on the first Saturday in June on the sixth at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Secretariat set the track record with a blistering time of 2:24 when he won in 1973 to capture the triple crown and cement his place as the greatest thoroughbred in the history of horse racing. It is very doubtful any of the horses in this year’s field will challenge the incredible mark of Secretariat but it should be another exciting race.

After winning the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, American Pharoah will try to make history and snap the triple crown drought with a historic run at Belmont Park in three weeks and be the first triple crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 to take the most prestigious honor in horse racing.

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