The Belmont Stakes has been the final test for the 13 Thoroughbreds that have won the Triple Crown. To win the Triple Crown, a horse must win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and finally the Belmont Stakes.
The final leg of the Triple Crown is the toughest of all, with a long 1 ½ mile track. They don’t call it the «test of a champion» for nothing.
The Belmont Stakes has a long history as the oldest of the Triple Crown races. The first Belmont Stakes took place in 1867 at Jerome Park in New York. The race has since moved around until it finally ended at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, where it remains today.
The Belmont Stakes takes place in Elmont, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Thousands gather in their best spring outfits and gorgeous hats to watch the Belmont Stakes live in person. Even more watch at home to see which horse will be the first to cross the finish line.
Betting is a huge component of horse racing, and the Belmont is no different. Spectators of the race may not be watching just for the sheer pleasure, there could also be a lot of money at stake.
Some of the biggest names in horse racing have raced on the track in the Belmont Stakes, including the legendary Secretariat, who still holds the record for the fastest times in all three Triple Crown races.
Below is a list of the top 10 Belmont Stakes finishers and their times, according to the Kentucky Derby website.
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Secretariat and jockey Ron Turcotte have the fastest time in Belmont. (Bettmann File/Getty Images)
- Secretariat, 2:24 in 1973
- Easy Goer, 2:26 in 1989
- AP Indy, 2:26.13 in 1992
- Risen Star, 2:26.50 in 1988
- Point given, 2:26.56 in 2001
- Gallant Man, 2:26.60 in 1957
- American Pharaoh, 2:26.65 in 2015
- Affirmed, 2:26.80 1978
- Tabasco cat, 2:26.83 in 1994
- Creme Fraiche, 2:27 in 1985.
Since 1978, no other horse has been able to break the extremely fast record set by Secretariat, although others have come close.
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American Pharoah is the latest to join the top ten fastest qualifiers, with a time of 2:26.65 in 2015. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Of those ten fastest Belmont Stakes finishers, three are Triple Crown winners. Secretariat, American Pharoah, and Affirmed won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.