|
|
The Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, the 1 ½-mile "Test of the Champion" for three-year-olds
and the final and most demanding leg of the Visa Triple Crown, is already one of the great events in sports.
This year, the 137th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 11, will again be the
centerpiece of Belmont Park's 60-day Spring/Summer Meet, after the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes,
leading up the Triple Crown 2005! |
Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, is considered one of the elite race tracks in the sport of thoroughbred
horse racing. In addition to the Belmont Stakes, other major races contested on the dirt at the track
include the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Woodward Stakes, the Suburban Handicap, and the Memorial Day standby
- the Metropolitan Handicap, also known as the Met Mile. Notable turf (grass) races include the
Bowling Green Handicap, Man o'War Stakes, and Turf Classic. |
|
Belmont Park was closed for replacement
of its unsafe grandstand and clubhouse structure from 1963 until May of 1968, during which the
Belmont race meetings were moved to Aqueduct Racetrack at South Ozone Park in Queens.
Spanning 430 acres situated just outside New York City, in the adjacent Nassau County suburb of Elmont,
the Belmont Park race track is world-famous as the home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of
the Triple Crown.
|
| First opened May 4, 1905, Belmont has the largest dirt acecourse of any thoroughbred race track in the world as well as the largest grandstand. Both the Belmont Park and Belmont Stakes were named after financier and sportsman August Belmont, Sr. Belmont Park features the Main Track, or the dirt racecourse, which has a circumference of 1½ miles, Widener Turf Course at 1 5/16 miles and 27 feet, and
Inner Turf Course at 1 3/16 miles plus 103 feet. With an attendance capacity of 85,000 to 100,000 - the largest in horse racing, Belmont Park has a total seating capacity of 32,941 and parking capacity of 18,500 cars. Post time is at 1 pm daily, and parking gates open at 10:45 am daily. |
|
|
Belmont Stakes Champion Sires
|
A total of eleven Belmont Stakes winners have sired at least one other Belmont winner.
Man o' War heads the list of Belmont champion sires. Not only did he win the race himself in
1920, but three of his subsequent sires won it as well: American Flag in 1925, Crusader in 1926 and War Admiral in 1937, who went on to win the Triple Crown.
Commando won the 1901 running, then sired Peter Pan, the 1907 champ and the Colin, the 1908 winner. 1930 champion Gallant Fox sired both Omaha (1935) and Granville (1936).
|
|
Count Fleet won the 1943 edition, and then sired back-to-back Belmont winners with Counterpoint
(1951) and One Count (1952).
1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew sired a Call To The Derby Post favorite in Swale, who won
both the Derby and the Belmont in 1984, as well as A.P. Indy, who won the Belmont in 1992.
1999 Belmont winner Lemon Drop Kid is also a descendant of the Slew.
The following horses have sired one Belmont winner each: Duke of Magenta of 1878 sired Eric (1889);
Spendthrift of 1879 sired Hastings (1896); Hastings then followed his again by siring Masterman,
the 1902 winner. The Finn of 1915 sired Zev (1923); Sword Dancer of 1959 sired Damascus (1967);
last but not least, Triple Crown winner Secretariat of 1973 sired Risen Star, the 1988 winner. |
Belmont Stakes 137 2005 Triple Crown Horse Racing odds, Betting Tips, Race Entries
2005 BELMONT STAKES RESULTS |
| Finish |
Horse |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Odds |
Win |
Place |
Show |
| 1 |
Afleet Alex |
Jeremy Rose |
Tim Ritchey |
6/5 |
4.30 |
3.60 |
3.00 |
| 2 |
Andromeda's Hero |
Rafael Bejarano |
Nicholas Zito |
12/1 |
|
8.20 |
5.80 |
| 3 |
Nolan's Cat |
N. Arroyo Jr. |
Dale L. Romans |
50/1 |
|
|
7.20 |
| 4 |
Indy Storm |
Edgar Prado |
Nicholas Zito |
20/1 |
|
|
|
| 5 |
A.P. Arrow |
Jerry Bailey |
D. Wayne Lukas |
50/1 |
|
|
|
| 6 |
Chekhov |
Gary Stevens |
Patrick Biancone |
30/1 |
|
|
|
| 7 |
Giacomo |
Mike Smith |
John Shirreffs |
7/2 |
|
|
|
| 8 |
Southern Africa |
Jon Court |
Michael Puhich |
18/1 |
|
|
|
| 9 |
Watchmon |
TBA |
Patrick Reynolds |
75/1 |
|
|
|
| 10 |
Reverberate |
Jose Santos |
Sal Russo |
12/1 |
|
|
|
| 11 |
Pinpoint |
John Velazquez |
Nicholas Zito |
20/1 |
|
|
|
A stunned horse racing crowd watched 36-1 longshot Birdstone defeat 2-5 favorite Smarty Jones
by a length at the 2004 Belmont Stakes in Belmont Park, denying the runnerup of the 2004 Triple Crown.
Belmont Park in New York is world-famous for the Belmont Stakes, the last leg of the Triple Crown series
of thoroughbred horse races, the 2004 running of which saw Birdstone defeating Triple Crown hopeful Smarty Jones.
Belmont Stakes 2004 Race Results, Top Earnings, and Payouts
Purse: $1,000,000
Value of Race: $1,000,000 - 1st $600,000, 2nd $200,000, 3rd $110,000, 4th $60,000, 5th $30,000
Winner: Birdstone - Bay Colt, May 16, 2001; Bred by Marylou Whitney Stables in KY
Pgm Horse Win Place Show Finish Odds
4 Birdstone 74.00 16.00 8.60 1-1 36.00
9 Smarty Jones 3.30 2.60 2-8 0.35
6 Royal Assault 6.10 3-3 27.75
Sportbet.com offers Belmont Stake Odds, betting lines and race information. Belmont Stakes betting
has never been easier, whether you want to bet a horse straight to win or in an exacta bet.
Bet on Belmont Stakes futures and proposition bets, too. Choose a extra Box or just bet on the Ponies
straight to win.
Check out our incredible Belmont Stake Bonuses too!!
Get into the Belmont stakes betting action and place a bet on one of the many horses betting options at
sportbet.com
|
|
