Sovereignty Wins 2025 Belmont Stakes, Beats Journalism in Final Triple Crown Leg

Sovereignty won the 157th Belmont Stakes on Saturday, finishing just ahead of the favorite Journalism to win another jewel of the Triple Crown.

Rodriguez led in the early stages before Journalism stormed ahead after the halfway point, but Sovereignty used a late kick and left no doubt as he pulled away from the pack in the final stretch.

This year's race was once again run at the 1 1/4th mile track at Saratoga Race Course, with Belmont Park still undergoing renovations. The race taking place at Saratoga meant a slightly shorter distance was run than the typical Belmont Stakes.

Since Sovereignty—last month's Kentucky Derby winner—didn't race at Preakness this year, a Triple Crown title was off the table heading into the final jewel. The last time a horse captured the Triple Crown was in 2018 when Justify cemented his place in history.

Order of Finish

1. Sovereignty
2. Journalism
3. Baeza
4. Rodriguez
5. Crudo
6. Hill Road
7. Uncaged
8. Heart of Honor

Payouts (Based on $2 Bet)

Win: Sovereignty; $7 win, $3.20 place, $2.30 show

Place: Journalism; $3.20 place, $2.30 show

Show: Baeza; $2.60

Exacta: $6.60

Trifecta: $13.80

Superfecta: $40.50

Saturday's Belmont Stakes almost mirrored this year's Kentucky Derby, though the conditions at Saratoga Race Course were much better than those at a rainy Churchill Downs.

Just like the Kentucky Derby, Journalism broke free at the end of the race and seemed on the way to a win, but Sovereignty had just enough kick to take the lead at the last moment. Baeza also finished third on Saturday, the same result he had in the Kentucky Derby.

Sovereignty had the chance to make history, but his trainer, Bill Mott, instead chose to skip the Preakness Stakes last month and shift the focus toward the Belmont Stakes.

Though that decision might have come as a bit of a surprise at the time, it paid off on Saturday.