Belmont Stakes 2018 Payout: Triple Crown Field Times and Prize-Money Earnings

Justify had a chance to put his name in the history books when he stepped on the Belmont Park track Saturday evening in Elmont, New York.

The big, powerful colt had proved his ability and speed in winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness in the first two jewels of the Triple Crown.

It takes a great horse to win those two races, but it takes a legendary performer to win the Triple Crown.

Justify put himself in that category with his performance in the Belmont Stakes.

That race is called the Test of Champions, because it is a 1 ½-mile race, significantly longer than the Derby or the Preakness. Add in the tight schedule of three championship races in five weeks, and it's the most challenging of tasks for any horse.

2018 Belmont Stakes Results (via NBC Broadcast)

Horse—Distance Behind (Post, Jockey, Trainer)

1. Justify (1, Mike Smith, Bob Baffert) Payout: $800,000

2. Gronkowski—1 ¾ lengths (6, Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown) Payout: $280,000

3. Hofburg—3 ½ lengths (4, Irad Ortiz, William Mott) Payout: $150,000

4. Vino Rosso—3 ¾ lengths (8, John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher)

5. Tenfold—7 ¼ lengths (7, Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen)

6. Bravazo—8 ½ lengths (3, Luis Saez, D. Wayne Lukas)

7. Free Drop Billy—9 ½ lengths (2, Robby Albarado, Dale Romans)

8. Restoring Hope—38 ¾ lengths (5, Florent Geroux, Bob Baffert)

9. Blended Citizen—51 ¾ lengths (10, Kyle Frey, Doug O'Neill)

10. Noble Indy—54 lengths (9, Javier Castellano, Todd Pletcher)

Justify proved more than ready for the task, as he broke quickly from the No. 1 post position and went right to the lead. While that was a good thing since he was able to avoid traffic and did not have to deal with any other horses vying for the lead, the key was to avoid running too fast too quickly without burning himself out in the lengthy race.

Justify was running at a fast pace in the first quarter-mile with a time of 23.37 seconds, but he was able to slow it down at the half-mile (48.11) and three-quarter-mile (1:13.21) marks. Justify was running with a clear lead, but jockey Mike Smith was not in danger of burning out his horse because none of the other nine competitors in the race were making a serious challenge at that point.

Justify continued to lead when he reached the mile mark with a time of 1:38.09, but when he reached the head of the stretch, Vino Rosso made a run at him and was just a length behind. At that point, Smith asked Justify for a bit more speed. He still had not reached full speed, but he had put away Vino Rosso.

Justify reached full speed at midstretch, and it was clear he would win the race and earn the Triple Crown. He would finish the race with a time of 2:28.18, and he would finish 1 ¾ lengths ahead of second-place Gronkowski.

The second-place finisher, who was named after New England Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski, rallied from the back of the pack to finish an impressive second, and Hofburg finished third.

2018 Belmont Stakes Payouts (via NBC Broadcast)

1st: Justify 4-5 (Win: $3.60; Place: $3.50; Show: $2.80)

2nd: Gronkowski 24-1 (Place: $13.80; Show: $7.00)

3rd: Hofburg 5-1 (Show: $3.70)

$2 Exacta (1-6): $89.00

$1 Trifecta (1-6-4): $229.74

$1 Superfecta (1-6-4-8): $1,051.50

The win gave trainer Bob Baffert his second Triple Crown. He had trained American Pharoah in 2015, when that horse broke a 37-year dry spell to become the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and the Belmont Stakes since Affirmed had accomplished the feat in 1978.

Baffert is only the second trainer in the sport's history to win the Triple Crown twice. He joins "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, who trained Gallant Fox and Omaha in 1930 and 1935, respectively.

"American Pharoah will always be my first love," said Baffert on the NBC broadcast, "but this horse is special and I'm just so happy."

The win was also the greatest achievement of Smith's career, who was emotional when interviewed after the race.

"He's sent from heaven. I tell you, it's just amazing," Smith said on the broadcast (h/t ESPN.com). "I can't describe the emotions going through my body right now."

He had every reason to be thrilled that he had won the Triple Crown along with a legendary horse.