Belmont Stakes 2025: Sovereignty’s Victory Sparks Celebrations and Surprises

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The 157th Belmont Stakes delivered high drama and a historic finish as Sovereignty surged past Journalism to claim victory, echoing their Kentucky Derby showdown. This win marked Sovereignty as the first horse to capture both the Derby and Belmont while skipping the Preakness, a strategic move by trainer Bill Mott that paid off handsomely.

Key Highlights:

Sovereignty clinched the Belmont Stakes with a powerful late surge, finishing three lengths ahead of Journalism.
The total purse for the race was $2 million, with Sovereignty’s connections earning $1.2 million.
Journalism, the Preakness winner and race favorite, finished second, taking home $360,000.
Baeza, repeating his Derby performance, finished third and earned $200,000.

The top eight finishers shared the purse, with Rodriguez ($100,000), Crudo ($60,000), Hill Road ($40,000), Uncaged ($30,000), and Heart of Honor ($20,000) rounding out the payouts.

Sovereignty’s win payouts: $7 (win), $3.20 (place), $2.30 (show). Journalism: $3.20 (place), $2.30 (show). Baeza: $2.60 (show).

Exotic bets returned solid value: $1 exacta paid $6.60, $1 trifecta $13.80, and $1 superfecta $40.50.

The race was held at Saratoga Race Course, with Belmont Park under renovation, and run at 1¼ miles.

Trainer Bill Mott’s decision to skip the Preakness proved decisive, with Sovereignty’s fresh legs outlasting Journalism, who ran all three Triple Crown races.

The finish repeated the Derby’s top three, underscoring the dominance of this year’s leading contenders.

Source: Hindustan Times