The 2025 Belmont Stakes won't give us a Triple Crown winner this year in horse racing but it should deliver a boatload of drama at Saratoga Race Course. The shortest track among Triple Crown races, the Belmont Stakes will give fans a rematch between Journalism and Sovereignty, the winners of this year's Preakness and Kentucky Derby, respectively.
Sovereignty forfeited any chance at the illustrious Triple Crown as the owners elected not to run the Preakness Stakes following their win at Churchill Downs. Journalism, who was the favorite at the Derby but was bested, then took the crown. Now, with each having one win in the big three of horse racing under their belt, this could be looked at as a possible rubber match.
However, they'll have to fend off six other horses for it to truly become a two-horse race, not the least of which is Baeza, who has been running well. So what will happen at the Belmont Stakes? We've got you with every update from the 2025 Belmont Stakes, including the full finishing order when the race concludes.
2025 Belmont Stakes winner: Full finishing order and results
XXX won the 2025 Belmont Stakes. Rodriguez jumped out to the early lead with both Journalism and Sovereignty biding time in the middle of the pack but with Crudo and Uncaged hanging ahead of them but behind Rodriguez. It was a tight pack throughout, though. Coming around the final turn, though, Journalism surged into the lead but Sovereignty made a huge break on the final stretch. Journalism couldn't stay ahead, giving the Kentucky Derby winner its second win and in very similar fashion to how they won at Churchill Downs.
Here's a look at the full finishing order from the thrilling race at Saratoga Race Course.
Finishing Order | Horse |
|---|---|
Winner | Sovereignty (7) |
2 | Journalism (2) |
3 | Baeza (6) |
4 | Rodriguez (3) |
5 | Hill Road (1) |
6 | Heart of Honor (8) |
7 | Uncaged (4) |
8 | Crudo (5) |
What's incredible, and what was quick to be pointed out, was that the three favorites finished in the same order at the Kentucky Derby. Even on a shorter track and with muddy conditions on the track, it's wild to see that the races played out so similarly.
Who was the favorite at the 2025 Belmont Stakes?
Journalism was the favorite at the 2025 Belmont Stakes after winning the Preakness at 2-1 odds according to FanDuel as of this writing. The horse was also the favorite at the Kentucky Derby but was bested by Sovereignty at Churchill Downs. Sovereignty didn't run in the Preakness, however, and is not far behind Journalism in terms of the odds board at Saratoga Race Course at 5-2.
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Who won the 2024 Belmont Stakes?
Last year's Belmont Stakes was won by a relative longshot, Dornoch, who had 17-1 odds going into the race. Despite Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness winner Seize the Grey being in the 10-horse field, Sierra Leone was the 9-5 favorite coming into the race but ultimately finished third. Second favorite Mindframe came in as the runner-up behind Dornoch in the race.
Super Chef Bobby Flay is the owner of Crudo in the 157th Belmont Stakes
While much attention about the field this year at the Belmont Stakes is on another showdown between Sovereignty and Journalism, Crudo might have the most interesting back story — or at least the owners. Crudo is owned by famous "Super Chef" Bobby Flay and real estate investor James Ventura. In fact, you may have seen Ventura with Flay before as he's appeared on the show "Beat Bobby Flay" as a judge before. Still, it's always fun to see a celebrity-owned horse, just like we did with former MLB outfielder Jayson Werth last year at this race.