Since its inception in 1867, the Belmont Stakes has become one of the most prestigious horse races in the world. The Belmont Stakes takes place five weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks following the Preakness Stakes each year.
At the 2025 Belmont Stakes, which took place on June 7, Sovereignty, the 2025 Kentucky Derby winner, won the title in Saratoga Springs, New York.
The Godolphin-owned 3-year-old – who came into the race as the 5-2 favorite – narrowly beat the other favorite and Preakness Stakes winner, Journalism, by a margin of three lengths.
The win means Sovereignty has won two legs of horse racing’s Triple Crown. The horse’s team made the call after the Derby to not enter Sovereignty into the Preakness last month and instead focus on the Belmont.
The victory won Sovereignty’s owners $1.2 million of the $2 million purse, with Journalism getting $360,000 and third-place finisher Baeza getting $200,000.
Those three horses finished in the exact same order at Churchill Downs last month.
Sovereignty jockey Junior Alvarado called his first wins at two of the most prized races “surreal.”
“There was a point in my career, maybe five or six years ago, I could see everything fading away to be honest. And here I am,” Alvarado told the Fox broadcast. “… My family always my rock, big supporters. Helped me through tough moments in my life.”
Also Read: List Of Top Horse Racing Events In 2025
Belmont Stakes 2025: Top 10 Finishers
| Finish | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line Odds | Final Odds | Purse Earnings |
| 1 | Sovereignty | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | 2-1 | 2.50 | $1,200,000 |
| 2 | Journalism | Umberto Rispoli | Michael W. McCarthy | 8-5 | 2.05 | $360,000 |
| 3 | Baeza | Flavien Prat | John Shirreffs | 4-1 | 3.50 | $200,000 |
| 4 | Rodriguez | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | 6-1 | 7.10 | $100,000 |
| 5 | Crudo | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 15-1 | 11.80 | $60,000 |
| 6 | Hill Road | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Chad C. Brown | 10-1 | 14.20 | $40,000 |
| 7 | Uncaged | Luis Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | 30-1 | 19.00 | $20,000 |
| 8 | Heart of Honor | Saffie Osborne | Jamie Osborne | 30-1 | 20.50 | $20,000 |
