Even a sports fan who doesn't pay attention to thoroughbred racing on a daily basis, probably knows that a horse named Sovereignty (I'm getting better.) won Saturday's Belmont Stakes race held at Saratoga at the 1¼ mile distance. The classic Belmont Stakes distance is truncated from it's even more challenging 1½ distance due to the complete rebuilding of Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Belmont is scheduled to reopen in October 2026, with its first Belmont scheduled for June 2027.
At Saratoga, a 1½ mile distance cannot be started fairly for all horses since it would have to start on the far turn on the mile and an eighth track, and there is not enough room to tangentially place the starting gate to ensure an equal distance start for all starters.
But a Triple Crown was not at stake, no matter the venue or the distance of the Belmont Stakes. Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness to ensure a rested horse for the Belmont, then won the Belmont.
Journalism, who finished second to Sovereignty in Derby, won the Preakness and was convincingly beaten by Sovereignty in the Belmont, finishing second after a stirring stretch duel. The two best horses in the race finished 1-2, producing an almost sure-thing boxed exacta, but with an anemic payoff of $13.20 for $2. Sovereignty paid $7 to win as the second choice to Journalism. The mile and a quarter race was run in a snappy 2:00 3/5 over a drying out track labeled GOOD.
Sovereignty gave Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his second Belmont win, and jockey Junior Alvarado his second Triple Crown win. His first of course came with Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby.
NYRA charged an astounding $75 for General Admission on Saturday, which of course did not include a seat, unless you count a toilet seat. But over 40,000 fans ponied up for the price, but were at least rewarded with eventual good weather and a very exciting race. But still, $75!
I watched the race for free on TV at my granddaughter's high school graduation party in Pleasantville, New York. My daughter and son-in-law have a huge HD TV in the family room that makes it seem as if the clods of dirt from the track are going to hit you.
For myself, I netted a meager $2 profit since I did have $4 to win on Sovereignty, but also $4 to win on Hill Road, and a $2 boxed exacted with those two. I liked Hill Road after seeing him win the Peter Pan at Aqueduct three weeks prior to the Belmont. The Peter Pan has often proved to be a reliable prep race for the Belmont Stakes, and there's nothing wrong with the trainer Chad Brown..
How does a race get to be named Peter Pan, after a boy who doesn't want to grow up? Turns out the race is named after the horse Peter Pan who won the 1907 Belmont Stakes, who in turn was named after the character in J.M. Barrie's popular play. The horse Peter Pan was a very durable thoroughbred who won 10 of his 17 starts; 6 races in a row as a 3-year-old.
Amongst the multitudes were New York's Governor Kathy Hochul, who as a small woman, if she were in racing silks and a riding helmet, could have easily been mistaken for a jockey.
Governors sometimes show up for the Belmont presentation. It was more than appropriate that Governor Hochul was there since she was instrumental getting a bill through the legislature that secured a $500+ million loan to NYRA to build a completely new Belmont Park, slated to open October 2026. Thus, the Belmont Stakes will be held for one more year at Saratoga at 1¼ miles. This year was the second year at Saratoga.
After first going to the races at Belmont on Belmont Day in 1968, to the then re-opened track, I'm hoping I make it to the next re-opening in 2026. Never mind thinking about getting in for the Belmont Stakes in 2027 at what will be another re-opened Belmont. If NYRA charged $75 to get in in 2025, there's no telling what they're going to charge for 2027.
I know where there's a great TV to watch it from.
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