Mo Donegal Beats Nest to Win 2022 Belmont Stakes over Derby Winner Rich Strike

Mo Donegal took down the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday from Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Mo Donegal won by three lengths over second-place finisher and filly Nest, cementing a great day for numerous people.

That included Mike Repole, the Queens, New York native who has part-ownership stakes in both Mo Donegal and Nest.

Tim Layden of NBC Sports provided more details:

Todd Pletcher trained both horses. Irad Ortiz Jr. was the winning jockey, and Jose Ortiz finished second with Nest.

Here's a look at the payouts, order of finish and some notes on the field.

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Payouts and Order of Finish

1. Mo Donegal: Win ($7.20), Place ($3.80), Show ($3.00)

2. Nest: Place ($5.30), Show ($4.10)

3. Skippylongstocking: Show ($5.60)

4. We the People

5. Creative Minister

6. Rich Strike

7. Barber Road

8. Golden Glider

Source: NBC broadcast

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Notes

Mo Donegal, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, is a three-time winner who took down the Wood Memorial last April, beating eventual Preakness Stakes victor Early Voting and fellow Belmont competitor Skippylongstocking.

The latter horse has 11 races under his belt, including two wins and a fifth-place showing in the Preakness.

Nest, a three-year-old filly, won four of her six races leading into the Belmont. She took second in the Kentucky Oaks behind Secret Oath.

The Triple Crown wasn't on the line, but Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike did take part in the Belmont. Rich Strike pulled off one of the biggest upsets in horse racing history at the Derby a month ago, as the late addition took down the field as an 80-1 underdog.

Rich Strike did not participate in the Preakness Stakes, using that time to rest.

Saturday wasn't Rich Strike's day, as he fell behind the pack early and couldn't make up the ground.

Barber Road finished second or third in each of his last five races leading to the Kentucky Derby, including second at the Arkansas Derby in April. He finished sixth at Churchill Downs.

We the People, who is owned by celebrity chef and restauranteur Bobby Flay, came into Belmont as a heavy favorite but could not crack the top three on this day.

The three-year-old has won three of his five races, including a victory in the Peter Pan Stakes over Golden Glider, who has won two of his seven races and finished top five in all of them but this year's Belmont.

Creative Minister was one of just two horses with a top-three finish at a Triple Crown event racing in the Belmont this year. The three-year-old finished third in the Preakness behind Early Voting and Epicenter. He has won two of his five races.