The 2025 Belmont Stakes horses will feature both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners. As well as several other talented three-year-olds. With the final leg of the legendary Triple Crown nearly here, now is a perfect time to look at the competitors in this year’s event and rank them from best to worst.
Related: 2025 Belmont Stakes – Everything you need for the June 7 race
1. Sovereignty
Despite a second-place finish at the Florida Derby in March, Sovereignty took home, arguably, the biggest prize in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby in May. The William I. Mott-trained colt beat out eventual Preakness winner Journalism at Churchill Downs, and it is why he is a slight favorite heading into the June 7 event.
2. Journalism
Journalism is one of the best three-year-olds in the world, and it is why he was the favorite at both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. While he doesn’t enter this race as the favorite, the Michael W. McCarthy-trained horse has six wins in his last seven races. Making him a very serious threat to score a revenge win against Sovereignty on June 7.
3. Rodriguez
Bob Baffert-trained colt Rodriguez was a potential dark horse at the Derby until he had to pull out of the race days before. Then he was a scratch at the Preakness. Over the five races that he has actually competed in, he has posted one third-place finish, two seconds, and a pair of wins. Including the Wood Memorial earlier this spring. If he is 100%, Rodriguez is a legitimate dark horse at the Belmont.
4. Baeza
John A. Shirreffs-trained colt Baeza finished third in the Kentucky Derby after being a race week addition, and finished second to Journalism at the Santa Anita. He is a solid underdog option at the Belmont. However, for bettors looking for an intriguing place and show bet, Baeza is one to consider.
5. Hill Road
Hill Road is a solid horse that has earned top-three finishes in his last three, including a win in May at the Peter Pan. However, his lack of races against world-class competition is why he is one of the biggest long shots at this year’s event.
6. Crudo
Legendary trainer Todd A. Pletcher brings an interesting dark horse to the Stakes in Crudo. The three-year-old only has three races under his belt. But the last two were decisive victories this spring. While he has not faced elite competition so far, oddsmakers see something in Crudo, and it’s why he has solid 15-1 odds.
7. Uncaged
Pletcher will also bring four-race vet Uncaged to his first Triple Crown race. The colt has a pair of first-place finishes on his resume. However, they both came on muddy tracks. In his most recent appearance (on a clean track), he finished sixth in a race that also included Belmont competitor Hill Road. It is why he is a big long shot on Saturday.
8. Heart of Honor
Heart of Honor is a rock-solid foreign horse with big longshot odds at the Belmont Stakes. In five appearances, the colt has just one victory, but only one finish outside the top two. Unfortunately, that came against some of the best horses in the world at the Preakness Stakes. Heart of Honor won’t win the Stakes and will just be honored to be a part of the field.
Belmont Stakes prediction
After winning the Derby by beating Journalism, Sovereignty has a great chance to win on June 7. However, many around the sport feel Journalism is the best three-year-old in the world right now. It is why he has been the favorite in all three Triple Crown races.
Look for him to gettin sweet revenge in another face-off with Sovereignty on Saturday.
Latest Belmont Stakes betting odds
With the Belmont Stakes still a week away, below you can find the latest betting odds for the thoroughbreds competing on June 7.
- Journalism – 8-5
- Sovereignty – 2-1
- Baeza – 4-1
- Rodriguez – 6-1
- Hill Road – 10-1
- Crudo – 15-1
- Uncaged – 30-1
- Heart of Honor – 30-1
2025 Belmont Stakes post position
Below, you can see the official post position in the 2025 Belmont Stakes.
Post 1: Hill Road
Post 2: Sovereignty
Post 3: Rodriguez
Post 4: Uncaged
Post 5: Crudo
Post 6: Baeza
Post 7: Journalism
Post 8: Heart of Honor
Belmont Stakes prediction
While we won’t get a Triple Crown contender, we will get a second showdown between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners. It says a lot that Journalism is again the favorite despite facing the horse that defeated it at Churchill Downs. Nevertheless, he is a gifted thoroughbred that seems primed for sweet revenge on Saturday.
Who won 2024 Belmont Stakes?
In 2024, Dornoch was able to beat out Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness champ Seize the Grey to win the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes.
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