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86-540: The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York . It is run over the worldwide classic distance of 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (12 furlongs; 2,414 metres). Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The race, nicknamed The Test of the Champion , The Test of Champions and The Run for

172-714: A filly . † Designates a horse that won American Horse of the Year in the same year they won the Derby. ‡ Designates a horse that was inducted in subsequent years into the National Racing Hall of Fame . Winners of the Kentucky Derby can be connected to each other due to the practice of arranging horse breeding based on their previous success. All of the horses can be traced back to the three foundational sires, with Godolphin Arabian

258-666: A corporate sponsorship deal to call the race "The Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands." In 2018, Woodford Reserve replaced Yum! Brands as the presenting sponsor. In addition to the race itself, several traditions play a significant role in the Derby atmosphere. The mint julep —an iced drink consisting of bourbon , mint , and sugar syrup—is the traditional beverage of the race. The historic beverage comes served in an ice-frosted silver julep cup. However, most Churchill Downs patrons sip theirs from souvenir glasses (first offered in 1939 and available in revised form each year since) printed with all previous Derby winners. Also, burgoo ,

344-493: A crowd of 158,070 watched Always Dreaming win the Derby, making it the seventh biggest attendance in the history of the racetrack. The track reported a wagering total of $ 209.2 million from all the sources on all the races on the Kentucky Derby Day program. It was a 9 percent increase compared to the total of $ 192.6 million in 2016 and an increase of 8 percent over the previous record set in 2015 of $ 194.3 million. TwinSpires,

430-665: A group of racing enthusiasts had formed the French Jockey Club in 1863. They had organized the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp , which at the time was the greatest race in France. Returning home to Kentucky, Clark organized the Louisville Jockey Club to raise money for building quality racing facilities just outside the city. The track would soon become known as Churchill Downs , named for John and Henry Churchill, who provided

516-532: A large area, flying in hundreds of private aircraft to Louisville International Airport . The Derby is frequently referred to as " The Run for the Roses ", because a lush blanket of 554 red roses is awarded to the Kentucky Derby winner each year. New York sports columnist and future Churchill Downs president Bill Corum in 1925 began describing the race thusly, but the tradition originated in 1883 when New York City socialite E. Berry Wall presented roses to ladies at

602-522: A level weight of 126 pounds (with a 5-pound allowance for fillies) since 1900. The 126 pounds comes from the English Classics , where the standard weight is 9 stone, with one stone equaling 14 pounds. In 1913, the Belmont was run as a handicap with the winner carrying only 109 pounds compared to the runner-up carrying 126 pounds. Races run prior to 1900 had varied weight conditions. The first post parade in

688-554: A platform for betting online and a partner of the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup, recorded $ 32.8 million in handle on the Churchill Down races for the Kentucky Derby Day program. This record was a 22 percent increase over the preceding year. On the Kentucky Derby race alone, the handle of TwinSpires was $ 20.1 million, which is a 22 percent rise compared to the prior year. The race often draws celebrities. HM Queen Elizabeth II , on

774-460: A post-Derby party. The Churchill Downs founder and president, Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., attended that event. This gesture is believed to have led Clark to the idea of making the rose the race's official flower. However, it was not until 1896 that any recorded account referred to draping roses on the Derby winner. The Governor of Kentucky and the Chairman of Churchill Downs Incorporated present

860-419: A protracted legal battle by the owners of Dancer's Image (which they lost). Forward Pass thus became the eighth winner for Calumet Farm . Unexpectedly, the regulations at Kentucky thoroughbred race tracks were changed some years later, allowing horses to run on phenylbutazone . In 1970, Diane Crump became the first female jockey to ride in the Derby, finishing 15th aboard Fathom. The fastest time ever run in

946-416: A racetrack may offer a high purse to attract better fields so the race will be upgraded in future years. The grade level is assigned by looking at data that indicates quality of the field for the last five years. In order to achieve or maintain a Grade I, it is necessary to attract a competitive field over a number of years. For graded turf races, track conditions (normally excessive rain) may sometimes force

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1032-522: A respectable 13% win rate when entered. For context, three fillies have won the Kentucky Derby while six have won the Preakness Stakes. On average, fillies have won between 2% and 3% of the Triple Crown races, with similar numbers for geldings ; while about 95% of these races have been won by colts. The last filly as of June 11, 2022 to run in the Belmont was in 2022 when Nest ran second (placed) behind

1118-518: A row, horses came to the Belmont Stakes with a Triple Crown on the line only to fail. In 2002, Belmont Park hosted what was then the largest crowd in its history when 103,222 saw War Emblem lose to longshot Sarava after stumbling at the start. In 2003, 101,864 watched Funny Cide finish third behind Empire Maker . In 2004, the attendance record was shattered when 120,139 people saw Smarty Jones upset by Birdstone . In 2007, Rags to Riches became

1204-475: A share of the purse; previously only the first four finishers did so. The Kentucky Derby began offering $ 3 million in purse money in 2019. Churchill Downs officials have cited the success of historical race wagering terminals at their Derby City Gaming facility in Louisville as a factor behind the purse increase. The Derby first offered a $ 1 million purse in 1996; it was doubled to $ 2 million in 2005. In 2020,

1290-491: A television audience of 21.9 million viewers, and had the highest household viewing rate since 1977 when Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown. Justify won the 150th Belmont Stakes in 2018 to become the 13th Triple Crown champion. The first Belmont Stakes was held at Jerome Park Racetrack in the Bronx , built in 1866 by stock market speculator Leonard Jerome (1817–1891) and financed by August Belmont Sr. (1816–1890), for whom

1376-433: A thick stew of beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables, is a popular Kentucky dish served at the Derby. The infield —a spectator area inside the track—offers general admission prices but little chance of seeing much of the race, particularly before the jumbotron installation in 2014. Instead, revelers show up in the infield to party with abandon. By contrast, "Millionaire's Row" refers to the expensive box seats that attract

1462-588: A visit to the United States, joined the racegoers at Churchill Downs in 2007. The 2004 Kentucky Derby marked the first time that jockeys—as a result of a court order —were allowed to wear corporate advertising logos on their clothing. Norman Adams has been the designer of the Kentucky Derby Logo since 2002. On February 1, 2006, the Louisville-based fast-food company Yum! Brands, Inc. announced

1548-473: Is 8 lengths, a feat tied by four different horses: Old Rosebud in 1914, Johnstown in 1939, Whirlaway in 1941, and Assault in 1946. The highest odds of a winning horse were 91 to 1 for Donerail in 1913. The second-highest odds occurred in 2022, when Rich Strike went off at 80 to 1 and won the race. Three horses have won the Kentucky Derby without competing as a two-year-old: Apollo (1882), Justify (2018), and Mage (2023). 107 jockeys have won

1634-456: Is also one of the longest first-class races on dirt in the United States. Most three-year-olds are unaccustomed to the distance, and lack the experience, if not the stamina , to maintain a winning speed for so long. In a long race such as the Belmont, positioning of the horse and the timing of the move to chase for the lead can be critical. It is also known as "The Run for the Carnations" because

1720-562: Is an American Grade I stakes race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky . The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (10 furlongs; 2,012 metres). Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kilograms) and fillies 121 pounds (55 kilograms). Held annually on the first Saturday in May, the Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown . It

1806-526: Is preceded by the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival . The race is known as "The Run for the Roses", as the winning horse is draped in a blanket of roses. Lasting approximately two minutes, the Derby has been alternately called "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports", "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports", or "The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports", coined by Churchill Downs president Matt Winn . At least two of these descriptions are thought to be derived from

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1892-654: The Preakness Stakes at the Pimlico Race Course , in Baltimore , and the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York . The three races offered large purses, and in 1919 , Sir Barton became the first horse to win all three races. However, the term " Triple Crown " did not come into use for another eleven years. In 1930 , when Gallant Fox became the second horse to win all three races, sportswriter Charles Hatton brought

1978-460: The Triple Crown was Sir Barton , in 1919, before the series was recognized as such. In 1920, the Belmont was won by the great Man o' War , who won by 20 lengths, setting a new stakes and American record, while under a stout pull. Starting in 1926, the winner of the Belmont Stakes has been presented with August Belmont Trophy . The owner may keep the trophy for one year, and also receives a silver miniature for permanent use. The term Triple Crown

2064-511: The Venezuelan colt who had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and was poised to win the U.S. Triple Crown . However, due to a foot infection that had bothered the horse for several days, Cañonero II failed to win the Triple Crown when he struggled across the finish line in 4th place behind Pass Catcher , ridden by Walter Blum . Despite this loss, Cañonero II was named the winner of

2150-411: The horseshoe , designed to improve traction, be no longer than 2 millimeters. This was in response to studies by Susan Stover showing that such toe grabs substantially increase the risk of catastrophic racing injuries. Recently, racing officials have also banned the use of furosemide (Lasix) in all Black Type races, which include graded and listed stakes races. A newly established race may inherit

2236-416: The 2015 race, becoming the 12th horse in history to win the Triple Crown and the first in 37 years. The crowd that year was limited for the first time, to 90,000. His time of 2:26.65 was the sixth-fastest in Belmont Stakes history, and the second-fastest time for a Triple Crown winner. In 2018, Justify became the 13th Triple Crown winner and only the second horse to do so while undefeated. The 152nd running of

2322-479: The 40-pound blanket draped over the winner of the Belmont Stakes. The NYRA has long used The Pennock Company , a wholesale florist based in Philadelphia to import the carnations used for the mantle. Speed record: Biggest Margin of Victory: Most wins by a jockey : Most wins by a trainer : Most wins by an owner: Only 24 fillies have run in the Belmont; three of which have won: This gives them

2408-559: The Belmont Breeze "a significant improvement over the nigh undrinkable White Carnation" despite the fact that it "tastes like a refined trashcan punch". In 2011, the Belmont Breeze was again changed to the current official drink known as the "Belmont Jewel." While the origin of the white carnation as the official flower of the Belmont Stakes is unknown, traditionally, pure white carnations stand for love and luck. It takes approximately 700 "select" carnations imported from Colombia to create

2494-449: The Belmont Stakes took place without in-person fans on June 20, 2020, delayed from June 6 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading to the announcement, NYRA considered various dates after evaluating the spring-summer meeting at Belmont Park and after the other three majors set their respective dates: the Kentucky Derby moving to September 5, the Preakness Stakes moving to October 3, and

2580-442: The Belmont Stakes was held on Saturday, June 11, 2022. Mo Donegal won with a time of 2:28.28. Principal owner was Jerry Crawford. Mo Donegal was trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. On December 6, 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the 2024 Belmont Stakes would be held on Saturday, June 8 at Saratoga Race Course because of ongoing construction and renovations at Belmont Park. The purse of

2666-406: The Belmont has been run at the following distances: a mile and five furlongs in 1867–1873; a mile and a quarter in 1890–1892, 1895, 1904–1905, and 2024; a mile and a furlong in 1893–1894 and again in 2020; and a mile and three furlongs from 1896 to 1903 and 1906–1925. The purse for the first running in 1867 was $ 1,500 added, meaning the purse was supplemented by nomination and entry fees. This made

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2752-504: The Breeders' Cup Classic slated for November 7. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York announced on May 16 that horse racing tracks statewide, including Belmont Park, would be permitted to resume races without in-person fans on June 1. The 2020 contest also marked the first time in history that the Belmont Stakes served as the Triple Crown's opening leg, with its running length shortened accordingly to 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 miles (9 furlongs), its shortest distance since 1894. The 154th running of

2838-555: The British system being Grade I, Grade II, Grade III. However, the advent of the Internet meant that format would eventually be mostly abandoned in favor of G1, G2, G3. Used by TOBA itself, and most significantly by Equibase Company LLC that is the official supplier of racing information and statistics to America's Best Racing , Breeders' Cup , Daily Racing Form , NTRA , The Jockey Club , TRA, TVG , and Xpressbet . A notable exception to

2924-563: The Carnations , is the traditional third and final leg of the Triple Crown . It is usually held on the first or second Saturday in June, five weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes . The 1973 Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown winner Secretariat holds the track record (which is also a world record on dirt) of 2:24. The race covers one full lap of Belmont Park, known as "The Championship Track" because nearly every major American champion in racing history has competed on

3010-435: The Derby in back-to-back years: Herbert J. Thompson (1932–33), Ben Jones (1948–49), Jimmy Jones (1957–58), Lucien Laurin (1972–73), D. Wayne Lukas (1995–96), and Bob Baffert (1997–98). Seventeen owners have won the Kentucky Derby multiple times with horses they fully or partially owned. * Partnered with other entities in an ownership group for one or more winning horses. Jockeys, trainers, and owners competing in

3096-509: The Derby is May 1, and the latest is May 7; the earliest possible date for the Belmont is thus June 5, and the latest is June 11. In 2020, due to the cancellation of the original dates due to the COVID-19 pandemic , the order changed with the Belmont first on June 20, the Kentucky Derby on September 5 and the Preakness on October 3—all with no spectators—before the Triple Crown races resumed their normal schedule in 2021. In 1937, War Admiral became

3182-401: The Derby was in 1973 at 1:59.4 minutes, when Secretariat broke the record set by Northern Dancer in 1964 . Also during that race, Secretariat did something unique in Triple Crown races: for each successive quarter run, his times were faster. Although the races do not record times for non-winners, in 1973 Sham finished second, two and a half lengths behind Secretariat in the same race. Using

3268-412: The Derby was postponed from May 2 to September 5 due to the COVID-19 pandemic . This was the second time in history the race had been postponed, the other being in 1945 . Churchill Downs used a new singular 20-stall starting gate for the 2020 Kentucky Derby , replacing the previous arrangement that used a standard 14-stall gate and an auxiliary six-stall gate. The old setup contributed to congestion at

3354-561: The Kentucky Derby and its sibling race, the Kentucky Oaks , have been run every year since inception. They were twice rescheduled within the same year, the first time due to World War II in 1945 , and the second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 . The Derby and the Oaks are the oldest major sporting events in the US held annually since their beginning. Among thoroughbred stakes races, they are

3440-418: The Kentucky Derby often will compete in the Kentucky Oaks , a race for fillies held the day before the Derby. Winning both these races in the same year is referred to as an "Oaks/Derby Double;" 7 jockeys, 3 trainers, and 4 owners have accomplished this feat: *Until the 1950s, the Oaks was held several days or weeks after the Derby. Triple Crown winners are in bold and highlighted with gold. # Designates

3526-547: The Kentucky Derby, and the Preakness Stakes last. On May 16, 1925, the first live radio broadcast of the Kentucky Derby aired on WHAS as well as on WGN in Chicago. On May 7, 1949, the first television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place, produced by WAVE-TV , the NBC affiliate in Louisville. This coverage was aired live in the Louisville market and sent to NBC as a kinescope newsreel recording for national broadcast. On May 3, 1952,

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3612-513: The Kentucky Derby, with 27 doing so multiple times. Isaac Murphy (1890–91), Jimmy Winkfield (1901–02), Ron Turcotte (1972–73), Eddie Delahoussaye (1982–83), Calvin Borel (2009–10), and Victor Espinoza (2014–15) are the only jockeys to win the Derby in back-to-back years. Borel is the only jockey with three wins in a four-year span (2007, '09, '10). 116 trainers have won the Kentucky Derby, with 19 doing so multiple times. Six trainers have won

3698-470: The Preakness and the Derby were run on the same day. On eleven occasions, the Belmont Stakes was run before the Preakness Stakes. The date of each event is now set by the Kentucky Derby , which is always held on the first Saturday in May. The Preakness Stakes is currently held two weeks later; and the Belmont Stakes is held three weeks after the Preakness (five weeks after the Derby). The earliest possible date for

3784-543: The United States and Canada, a graded race can be dormant for one year without losing its grade. The following races have been downgraded from Grade I status since 2010: The Donn Handicap was discontinued after its 2016 edition; its Grade I status was transferred to the Pegasus World Cup , which held its first edition in 2017 The following races have been upgraded to Grade I status since 2010: Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby ( / ˈ d ɜːr b i / )

3870-459: The United States was at the 14th Belmont, in 1880. Before 1921, the race was run in the clockwise tradition of English racing. Since then, the race has been run in the American, or counter-clockwise, direction. The Belmont Stakes is traditionally called "The Test of the Champion" because it is by far the longest of the Triple Crown races (1.5 miles–a full lap around the enormous Belmont main track). It

3956-407: The added money generated by entry fees (larger fields thus leading to higher prize money). The purse was repeatedly raised in the eighties and nineties, reaching $ 500,000 added, with the winner receiving roughly $ 400,000. In 1998, the purse was changed to $ 1,000,000 guaranteed, with the winner receiving $ 600,000. In 2014, the purse was raised to $ 1,500,000. With one exception, the race has been run at

4042-580: The ancestor of 7 winners, Byerley Turk the ancestor of 11 winners, and Darley Arabian the ancestor of 132 winners, including all winners since 1938. The Darley Arabian (1700c) sire line (all branched through the Eclipse (1764) line) produced 132 Derby winners (124 colts, 5 geldings, 3 fillies), including all winners from 1938 to present. The main branches of this sire line are: The Byerley Turk (1680c) sire line produced 11 winners (8 colts, 3 geldings). The main branches of this sire (all branched through

4128-441: The change in format being the three New York Racing Association tracks. Fasig-Tipto began including grading information in 1975, Keeneland Association in 1976, and Daily Racing Form in 1978. In 1998, Canada began to grade Canadian races independently. Listed stakes were first added as a level in 2013. The American Graded Stakes Committee grades only races that: In 2008, the committee began requiring that toe grabs on

4214-417: The dirt. In 1977, Seattle Slew became the first horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. Affirmed was the last winner of the Triple Crown in the 20th century, taking the Belmont Stakes in 2:26 4/5 on June 10, 1978. Ridden by eighteen-year-old Steve Cauthen, Affirmed defeated rival Alydar with Jorge Velásquez in the saddle. At the time the race was the third-slowest start and the third-fastest finish with

4300-508: The fact that the Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the Triple Crown races, its traditions have been more subject to change. Until 1996, the post parade song was " The Sidewalks of New York ". From 1997 to 2009, the song was changed to a recording by Frank Sinatra of the " Theme from New York, New York " in an attempt to appeal to younger fans. In 2010, the song was changed to Jay-Z 's " Empire State of Mind " sung by Jasmine V before reverting to "Theme from New York, New York " from 2011 through

4386-429: The first Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Male Horse . On June 9, 1973, Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes by thirty-one lengths in a record time of 2:24, becoming a Triple Crown champion, ending a 25-year gap between Citation , the Belmont and Triple Crown winner in 1948. Secretariat's record still stands as the fastest running of the Belmont Stakes and an American record for 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles on

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4472-458: The first Derby. Under jockey Oliver Lewis , a colt named Aristides , who was trained by future Hall of Famer Ansel Williamson , won the inaugural Derby. Later that year, Lewis rode Aristides to a second-place finish in the Belmont Stakes . Initially a successful venue, the track ran into financial difficulties due to a protracted, gambling-related horseman boycott removing it from the upper echelons of racing that would last until just after

4558-400: The first filly to win the race since Tanya in 1905. Three more failed Triple Crown bids followed: in 2008, Big Brown lost to Da' Tara ; in 2012, I'll Have Another was withdrawn due to injury; and in 2014, California Chrome was beaten by Tonalist . This fueled debate about whether the series needed to be changed, for example by lengthening the period between races. American Pharoah won

4644-412: The first national television coverage of the Kentucky Derby took place, aired from then- CBS affiliate WHAS-TV . In 1954, the purse exceeded US$ 100,000 for the first time. In 1968, Dancer's Image became the first horse to win the race and then face disqualification. A urine test revealed traces of phenylbutazone (an anti-inflammatory painkiller drug) inside Dancer's Image. Forward Pass won after

4730-400: The fourth Triple Crown winner after winning the Belmont in a new track record time of 2:28 3/5. In the 1940s, four Triple Crown winners followed: Whirlaway in 1941, Count Fleet in 1943, Assault in 1946 and Citation in 1948. Count Fleet won the race by a then-record margin of twenty-five lengths. He also set a stakes record of 2:28 1/5, a record tied by Citation. In 1957, the stakes record

4816-526: The garland and the Kentucky Derby Trophy to the winner. Pop vocalist Dan Fogelberg composed the song " Run for the Roses ", released in time for the 1980 running of the race. "Riders Up!" is the traditional command from the Paddock Judge for jockeys to mount their horses in advance of the upcoming race. Since 2012, the grand marshal recites this phrase. Grand marshals In the weeks preceding

4902-487: The graded status of a discontinued race if it is held at the same facility under essentially identical conditions as the discontinued race. For example, the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup in January 2017 was Grade I, inheriting the status of the discontinued Donn Handicap . There are four grade levels, from Listed at the bottom to Grade I at the top. The latter are higher-class races for bigger prizes for horses of

4988-464: The land for the racetrack. The naming went official in 1937. The Kentucky Derby was first run at 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (12 furlongs ; 2.4 km) the same distance as the Epsom Derby , before changing lengths in 1896 to its current 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (10 furlongs; 2 km). On May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested

5074-419: The official Belmont song "cursed" the Triple Crown and was why no horse had won since Affirmed in 1978. Others note that there was no Triple Crown winner between 1979 and 1996, even though "Sidewalks" was still played. Along with the change of song in 1997, the official drink was also changed, from the "White Carnation" to the "Belmont Breeze." The New York Times reviewed both cocktails unfavorably, calling

5160-583: The oldest that have been held annually on the same track every year. The Derby is the most-watched and most-attended horse race in the United States. The 2024 Kentucky Derby marked the 150th running of the race. In 1872, Col. Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. , grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition , traveled to England, visiting Epsom in Surrey where The Derby had been running annually since 1780. From there, Clark went on to Paris, France , where

5246-415: The order of Triple Crown races has been the Kentucky Derby first, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes. Before 1931, eleven times the Preakness was run before the Derby. On May 12, 1917, and again on May 13, 1922, the Preakness and the Derby took place on the same day. On eleven occasions the Belmont Stakes was run before the Preakness Stakes, and in 2020, the Belmont was run first, then

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5332-407: The phrase into American usage. Fueled by the media, public interest in the possibility of a "superhorse" that could win the Triple Crown began in the weeks leading up to the Derby. Two years after the term went in use, the race (until that time ran in mid-May since inception) changed the date to the first Saturday in May. This change allows for a specific schedule for the Triple Crown races. Since 1931,

5418-448: The present. This tradition is similar to the singing of the state song at the post parades of the first two Triple Crown races: " My Old Kentucky Home " at the Kentucky Derby and " Maryland, My Maryland " at the Preakness Stakes. The change of song gave rise to "the myth of Mamie O'Rourke", a reference to a character in the lyrics of "The Sidewalks of New York." Before American Pharoah won the Triple Crown in 2015, some claimed that changing

5504-532: The purse or quality of field. Conversely, some races that are not technically stakes races (usually invitational races where entry fees are not required by the racetrack) may be eligible for grading if they meet the quality standards. European authorities implemented the Pattern race system in 1972 and requested that North America implement a similar method, leading to the development of the graded stakes system by TOBA in 1973. The first list of North American Graded Stakes

5590-444: The quarter in 25, the half in 50, 3/4 in 1:14, the mile in 1:37 2/5. In 1988, Secretariat's son Risen Star won the Belmont in 2:26 2/5, then the second-fastest time in the history of the race. The next year, Easy Goer lowered the mark for second-fastest time to 2:26. Easy Goer also holds a Beyer Speed Figure of 122 for the race, the best of any Triple Crown race since these ratings were first published in 1987. For three years in

5676-421: The race to be run on the main (dirt) track. If this happens, the race is automatically downgraded by one grade level for that running only. The Committee then reviews the race within five days and may restore the original grade. For example, a Grade I turf race that is switched to the dirt will be recorded as a Grade II race, unless the committee feels the quality of the race was sufficient to warrant Grade I. In

5762-529: The race was named. The first race in 1867 saw the filly Ruthless win, while the following year was won by General Duke . The first post parade in the United States was at the 14th Belmont, in 1880. The race continued to be held at Jerome Park until 1890, when it was moved to the nearby facility, Morris Park Racecourse . The 1895 race was almost not held because of new laws that banned bookmaking in New York: it

5848-656: The race will be increased to US$ 2 million and, pending approval of the American Graded Stakes Committee , it will be run at a shorter distance of 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (2.0 km) instead of the usual 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (2.4 km) due to the smaller size of the Saratoga dirt track. In March 2024 the New York Racing Association announced that the 2025 Belmont Stakes would also be moved to Saratoga, pending regulatory approval. Over

5934-508: The race, numerous activities took place for the Kentucky Derby Festival . Thunder Over Louisville —an airshow and fireworks display—generally begins the festivities in earnest two weeks before the Derby. Secretariat set the record for speed in 1973 with a time of 1:59.4. During its first two decades when the Derby was run at 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles, the record was 2:34.5, set by Spokane in 1889. The largest margin of victory

6020-514: The racetrack. Belmont Park, with its large, wide, sweeping turns and long homestretch, is considered one of the fairest racetracks in America. Despite the distance, the race tends to favor horses with tactical speed: relatively few winners close from far behind the early leaders. The attendance at the Belmont Stakes is among the American thoroughbred racing top-attended events . The 2004 Belmont Stakes drew

6106-581: The rich, the famous and the well-connected. Women appear in elegant outfits lavishly accessorized with large, elaborate hats. Following the Call to the Post played on bugle by Steve Buttleman, as the horses start to parade before the grandstands, the University of Louisville Cardinal Marching Band plays Stephen Foster 's " My Old Kentucky Home ". This song is a tradition which began in 1921. The event attracts spectators from

6192-477: The same age and sex). Furthermore, there are "conditions" races, in which horses carry weights that are set by conditions, such as having won a certain number of races, or races of a certain value. Finally, some graded stakes are " handicaps ", in which an official handicapper assigns weights to each horse in an attempt to equalize the competition. All Grade I races must have a purse of at least $ 300,000, but not all races with such high purses are Grade I. For example,

6278-402: The same age group (2, 3 or 3 and up) and may further be restricted by sex. The weight conditions of the races may vary provided they meet the committee's standards to ensure competitiveness. Many grade I races are " weight-for-age ", with weights adjusted only according to age and sex, and also there are "set weights" where all horses carry the same weight (usually applicable when all horses are of

6364-443: The start of the race, especially in the gap between the two gates. Rich Strike , a reserve who only made it into the final field after a late scratching, won the race in 2022 at final odds of 80:1 and parimutuel betting payouts were even larger. In January 2024, the purse for the Kentucky Derby was increased to $ 5 million. Millions of people from around the world bet at various live tracks and online sportsbooks. In 2017,

6450-434: The thoroughbred racing convention of one length equaling one-fifth of a second to calculate Sham 's time, he also finished in under two minutes. Another sub-two-minute finish, only the third, was set in 2001 by Monarchos at 1:59.97, the first year the race used hundredths of seconds instead of fifths in timing. In 2005, the purse distribution for the Derby changed, so that horses finishing fifth would henceforth receive

6536-540: The total purse $ 2,500, with the winner receiving $ 1,850. The purse increased sharply in the Roaring Twenties, from Man O'War's earnings of $ 7,950 in 1920 to Gallant Fox's take of $ 66,040 in 1930. Purses declined as a result of the Great Depression, with War Admiral earning only $ 28,020 in 1937, then began to recover. Throughout the sixties and early seventies, the value to the winner was roughly $ 100,000, depending on

6622-661: The turn of the 20th century. In 1894 the New Louisville Jockey Club was incorporated with the new capitalization and improved facilities. Despite this, the business floundered until 1902, when a syndicate led by Col. Matt Winn of Louisville acquired the facility. Under Winn, Churchill Downs prospered, and the Kentucky Derby then became the preeminent stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses in North America. Thoroughbred owners began sending their successful Derby horses to compete in two other races. These two are

6708-399: The winner her stable mate Mo Donegal . Triple Crown winners are in bold . A † designates a filly . Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown Winners, ♥ = Filly Graded stakes race A high grading can also be used by racetracks to promote the race in question. When determining Eclipse Award winners, racing journalists will consider the number and grade of a horse's stakes wins during

6794-459: The winning horse is draped with a blanket of white carnations after the race, in similar fashion to the blanket of roses and black-eyed Susans for the Derby and Preakness, respectively. The winning owner is ceremonially presented with the silver winner's trophy , designed by Paulding Farnham for Tiffany and Co. It was first presented to August Belmont Jr. in 1896 and donated by the Belmont family for annual presentation in 1926. Despite

6880-582: The words of sportswriter Grantland Rice , when in 1935 he said "Those two minutes and a second or so of derby running carry more emotional thrills, per second, than anything sport can show." The race was first run in 1875. Unlike the other, older races of the Triple Crown—the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes —along with the Travers Stakes (the oldest comparable stakes race in the US),

6966-581: The year. In general, stakes race refers to the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay, which generally forms part of the prize money offered to the top finishers. Not all stakes races are eligible for grading. Notably, races that are restricted to horses bred in a specific state (e.g., the Tiznow Stakes for California-breds) or country (e.g., the races that make up the Canadian Triple Crown , all restricted to Canadian-breds) are excluded, regardless of

7052-490: The years the race has been held at the following racetracks: The Belmont Stakes has been run at a mile and a half from 1874 to 1889 and 1926 to the present. An exception was made in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic , when the national racing schedule underwent significant changes. Additionally, the distance of the Belmont Stakes has been changed during the race's temporary relocation to Saratoga in 2024 and 2025, pending regulatory approvals. Besides 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles,

7138-586: Was eventually rescheduled for November 2. The race remained at Morris Park Racecourse until the May 1905 opening of the new Belmont Park , 430-acre (1.7 km) racetrack in Elmont, New York, on Long Island , just outside the New York City borough of Queens . When anti-gambling legislation was passed in New York State, Belmont Racetrack was closed, and the race was cancelled in 1911 and 1912. The first winner of

7224-452: Was first used when Gallant Fox won the three races in 1930, but the term did not enter widespread use until 1935 when his son Omaha repeated the feat. Sir Barton was then honored retroactively. Since 1931, the order of Triple Crown races has been the Kentucky Derby first, followed by the Preakness Stakes, and then the Belmont Stakes. Prior to 1931, the Preakness was run before the Derby eleven times. On May 12, 1917, and again on May 13, 1922,

7310-472: Was published in 1974. The original purpose of grading was to identify the most competitive races, which helps horsemen make comparisons of the relative quality of bloodstock for breeding and sales purposes. When the race-grading program was being set up for its 1973 introduction by the American Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association it was done so as to match the data formatting in use by

7396-425: Was smashed when Gallant Man ran the Belmont in 2:26 3/5 in a year when the Triple Crown series was split three ways. The Belmont Stakes race was held at Aqueduct Racetrack from 1963 to 1967, while the track at Belmont was restored and renovated. The largest crowd of the 20th century was in 1971 with over 80,000 people, supplemented by the city's Latino community, there to cheer on their new hero, Cañonero II ,

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