We’re in the final stretch now! After two thrilling races at the Churchill Downs and the Pimlico Race Course, the third and final round of the Triple Crown will now head to Saratoga for the iconic Belmont Stakes. The 157th edition of the G1 race is guaranteed to be incredible, if the first two jewels of the Crown were any indicator. So, what is all that is at stake for the upcoming June 7 race?

The Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes have set the stage perfectly for the upcoming New York race. Presented by NYRA (The New York Racing Association, Inc.) Bets, the Belmont Stakes could have been the place that could see several storylines culminating that have been on the roll ever since the Derby, held earlier this year. However, with Journalism possibly en route to scratching its name from the Saratoga race, what could the rest of the runners hope to win at the Belmont?

How much richer could the Belmont Stakes winner get?

As per the official NYRA website, the Belmont Stakes will have a $2 million prize pool. However, aside from the Belmont,  the five-day 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival will host 27 other races, totaling a beefy purse of $11,275,000. As per Sports Illustrated, the winner at this year’s main Saratoga event could bag $1.2 million, with the eighth, and last-place finisher poised to receive $20,000.

Last year, jockey Luis Saez pulled off an incredible upset victory at Belmont Park and went home $1.2 million richer. This time, too, it’s likely that the same amount will be the same. In 2023, the prize pool was $1.5 million, with the winner receiving $800,000 from the purse. However, while the prize pool remains as hefty as last year, this year’s Belmont Stakes could still be a poorer experience for long-time horse racing fans.

Thanks to Belmont Park currently undergoing a massive $455 million renovation, the NYRA has moved the event temporarily to the Saratoga Race Course. But that doesn’t mean that the winner of the race will feel any less joyous by their triumph at the third oldest North American horse racing event. After all, this is the race that, over the years, has seen stars, like Justify and American Pharoah, join the leagues with the likes of the fabled Secretariat and War Admiral to rope in the coveted Triple Crown title.

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So, who would the horses need to beat to win the Belmont Stakes this year?

Who is the one to beat at Saratoga?

With the 2025 Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty deciding to skip the Preakness Stakes, fans were eager to see if its rematch with Journalism would finally happen at the final stop of the Triple Crown. However, that hope might be a far cry from reality. Just days ago, Journalism’s trainer, Michael McCarthy, revealed that the 150th Preakness Stakes winner is “unlikely” to run at the Belmont.

However, the 2025 Santa Anita Derby winner has already reached Saratoga and seems to be making friends as it waits to see what the future holds for it ahead of the Belmont Stakes. On the other hand, after missing out on both the Derby and the Preakness, Rodriguez, trained by the iconic Bob Baffert, could also be among the horses at the post on June 7.

If that wasn’t all, the second-place finisher of this year’s UAE Derby, Heart of Honor, seems to be finally getting acquainted with the American climate and could pull off another major upset win at the Belmont. So, which of these outstanding colts would be your pick to win the June Stakes and why? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section!