We're back with Belmont Stakes picks as the 157th edition of the Belmont Stakes gets underway on Saturday June 7, 2025. Due to construction at Belmont Park, the "Run for the Carnations" will once again take place at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
All of the biggest three-year old colts are back in the field for the final leg of the Triple Crown. Both Kentucky Derby winner, Sovereignty, and Preakness victor, Journalism will face off for all the marbles. It's not quite Nic Cage vs. Travolta, but the 2025 Belmont has all the storylines of a classic '90s action flick. The final leg of the Triple Crown is destined to be more exciting than ever.
When is the Belmont Stakes?
The 2025 Belmont Stakes post time is 6:50 pm ET on Saturday, June 7.
2025 Belmont Stakes Picks & Best Bets
Can anyone upset Journalism and Sovereignty to win the 2025 Belmont Stakes? Keep in mind, Essential Quality (2021), Tiz the Law (2020), and Justify (2018), cleaned up as favorites at Belmont in recent years. That being said, Arcangelo took home the carnations as an 8-1 underdog in 2023, and Dornoch was as high as 12-1 last year. On top of that, no Triple Crown race has been won by the same horse over the past six seasons.
Check out my appearance on The Huddle with Andrew Avery where I break down the Belmont Stakes even further.
Journalism
Journalism suffered through a bad start at the Kentucky, and a terrible path at the Preakness, and finished second in the first leg of the Triple Crown and won the second.
Even at short +180 odds, the son of Curlin is my best Belmont Stakes bet. Journalism's pedigree has given sportsbooks pause after he smashed through the field to take home the Preakness victory. The colt has now won five of his last six races, including the Los Alamitos Futurity (Grade 2), San Felipe (Grade 2), and Santa Anita Derby (Grade 1). Moreover, Journalism 108 Beyer Speed Figure is the highest of any horse in the Belmont field.
"A REMARKABLE RECOVERY BY JOURNALISM!"
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 17, 2025
JOURNALISM WINS THE 150TH PREAKNESS STAKES! #Preakness150 pic.twitter.com/f2IOVEyUy9
Notably, Journalism rallied from a terrible start after he sat 11th in the Kentucky Derby, and only lost out due to a heroic performance from Sovereignty. He followed that up with a devastating Preakness victory, quite literally tossing the competition to the side as he galloped away down the stretch. Legendary racing trainer Bob Baffert, among many others, have thrown everything they have at Journalism this racing season, and the colt keeps coming.
Intriguingly, history is on Journalism's side in this race. After all, 16 of the last 20 Belmont winners were within four lengths of the lead after the first half-mile of the race, including eight winners who were racing in first, second, or third place. He's competed for the lead in five of his seven starts, and is a proven graded stakes winner.
Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty will be a popular bet for many. But, he's a pure deep closer. History at the Belmont indicates that unless Sovereignty changes his style (unlikely), he'll be at a disadvantage of Saturday. History is on Journalism's side. Since 1990, the Derby and Preakness victors have faced off eight times in the Belmont, and the Preakness winner has beaten the Derby winner to the wire on seven of eight occasions. Those Preakness winners have won the Belmont three times.
Journalism simply has to be a part of your 2025 Belmont Stakes bets.
2025 Belmont Stakes Best Pick: Journalism +180, Win, Place, Show
Exotics
Horse racing exotics are a fun bet that can pay huge dividends for a small wager.
My four to include in boxed trifectas are:
- Journalism
- Sovereignty
- Rodriguez
- Hill Road
