Belmont Stakes Results 2015: Triple Crown Finishing Order, Replay Video, Payouts

One year ago, California Chrome owner Steve Coburn was stomping at the conclusion of the Belmont Stakes, braying that no horse would win the Triple Crown in his lifetime.

It wasn't a lifetime, it was just one year. American Pharoah went to the lead at the start and never let it go as he won the Belmont Stakes and became the sport's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978.

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American Pharoah becomes the 1st Triple Crown winner since Affirmed did so in 1978. pic.twitter.com/SxTd4hrHd0

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 6, 2015"

Jockey Victor Espinoza had twice been in position to win the Triple Crown, but he was unsuccessful with War Emblem in 2002 and California Chrome last year. He had no such difficulties this time around as he not only survived Belmont Park's long stretch run but thrived in it and pulled away to win by 5 ½ lengths. Frosted finished second, and Keen Ice was third.

American Pharoah had been victorious in the crowded Kentucky Derby 18-horse field on the first Saturday in May and was even more impressive in winning the Preakness by seven lengths in a brutal thunderstorm.

The field in the Belmont Stakes had been thinned to eight horses, but American Pharoah was not only racing against seven other challengers. He was also racing against the history books. 

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... Citation: 1948 Secretariat: 1973 Seattle Slew: 1977 Affirmed: 1978 American Pharoah: 2015 http://t.co/OjYu5nlSk0 pic.twitter.com/HSrm9OiSak

— ABC News (@ABC) June 6, 2015"

Triple Crown hopefuls had been getting beaten since 1979, when Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Spectacular Bid was a spectacular flop. He stepped on a safety pin the morning of the race and fell short. That had been the case for all of the challengers that had gone to the post in the Belmont with victories in the first two legs of the Triple Crown since then. 

Place	No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer
1	5	American Pharoah	Victor Espinoza	Bob Baffert
2	6	Frosted	Joel Rosario	Kiaran McLaughlin
3	7	Keen Ice	Kent Desormeaux	Dale Romans
4	1	Mubtaahij	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	Mike de Kock
5	4	Frammento	Mike Smith	Nick Zito
6	3	Madefromlucky	Javier Castellano	Todd Pletcher
7	2	Tale of Verve	Gary Stevens	Dallas Stewart
8	8	Materiality	John Velazquez	Todd Pletcher

That's why the accomplishment seems so stunning. It takes a super horse to win the Triple Crown, and many horses have looked the part until they were faced with the daunting 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes. Secretariat accomplished the feat in 1973, as did Seattle Slew in 1977 and Affirmed the year later. 

Now American Pharoah has joined the club.

Trainer Bob Baffert finally accomplished his dream of winning the Triple Crown. He was emotional after the race, looking as if he could not quite believe what had happened. "There's something about this horse," Baffert said. "He brought it every single time."

Horse	Win	Place	Show
American Pharoah	$3.50	$2.80	$2.50
Frosted	---	$3.50	$2.90
Keen Ice	---	---	$4.60

Penny Chenery, the 93-year-old owner of Secretariat, was at Belmont Park to witness American Pharoah's run. She got the result she wanted to see. Chenery told the Associated Press (h/t the New York Times) that she's "thrilled." To owner Ahmed Zayat, she said, "Welcome."

Secretariat won the '73 race by a record 31 lengths. While American Pharoah was not that impressive, he put the field away by 5 ½ lengths. His time of two minutes, 26.65 seconds was the second-fastest in Belmont History behind Secretariat, who finished with a time of 2:24.