Profile

Held: Second Saturday in June
Track: Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
Distance: 1 1/2 miles (12 Furlongs)
Purse: $1 million
Record: 2:24 (Secretariat, 1973)

The oldest race and final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes was named after August Belmont, the first president of the American Jockey Club. The first running of the race took place on June 19, 1867, at Jerome Park Racecourse over 1 5/8 miles, and was won by Ruthless. Prior to the current running distance, and also- the longest of the three Triple Crown races at 1-½ miles, the race was also held over:

• 1 5/8 miles: 1867-1873, 1896-1925
• 1 1/2 miles: 1874-1889, 1925-Present
• 1 1/4 miles: 1890-1892, 1895
• 1 1/8 miles: 1893-1894

The race moved to Morris Park in 1890, before moving to its current home in 1905 to Belmont Park, the largest racing facility in the country. 26 times a horse has come to run the Belmont Stakes looking for the Triple, but only 11 have done it successfully.