Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The race, nicknamed The Test of the Champion and The Run for the Carnations, is the traditional third and final leg of the Triple Crown. It is usually held on the first or second Saturday in June, five weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. The 1973 Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown winner Secretariat holds the mile and a half stakes record (which is also a track and world record on dirt) of 2:24.

For this year's race, see 2020 Belmont Stakes.
Belmont Stakes
Grade I race
The final and longest leg of the
United States Triple Crown
"The Test of the Champion"
"The Third Jewel of the Triple Crown"
"The Run for the Carnations"
LocationBelmont Park
Elmont, New York, United States
Inaugurated1867 (153 years ago)
Race typeThoroughbred
Websitebelmontstakes.com
Race information
Distance1 1⁄2 miles (12 furlongs)
(1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs) for 2020)
Record
  • 2:56, Harry Bassett (1871, ​1 5⁄8 miles)
  • 2:24, Secretariat (1973, ​1 1⁄2 miles)
  • 2:14.20, Man o' War (1920, ​1 3⁄8 miles)
  • 2:06.60, Delhi (1904, ​1 1⁄4 miles)
  • 1:46.53, Tiz the Law (2020, ​1 1⁄8 miles)
SurfaceDirt
TrackLeft-handed
Qualification3-year-olds
WeightColt/Gelding: 126 pounds (57 kg); Filly: 121 pounds (55 kg)
PurseUS$1 million

When run at ​1 1⁄2 miles, the Belmont Stakes covers one full lap of Belmont Park, known as "The Championship Track" because nearly every major American champion in racing history has competed on the racetrack. Belmont Park, with its large, wide, sweeping turns and long homestretch, is considered one of the fairest racetracks in America.[1] Despite the distance, the race tends to favor horses with tactical speed: relatively few winners close from far behind the early leaders.[2]

The attendance at the Belmont Stakes is among the American thoroughbred racing top-attended events. The 2004 Belmont Stakes drew a television audience of 21.9 million viewers, and had the highest household viewing rate since 1977 when Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown.[3]

American Pharoah won the 147th Belmont Stakes, becoming the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Justify won the 150th to become the 13th Triple Crown champion.

History

1868–1929: Early years
See also: Belmont Park
August Belmont Trophy, presented annually to the winning owner since 1926.

The first Belmont Stakes was held at Jerome Park Racetrack in The Bronx, built in 1866 by stock market speculator Leonard Jerome (1817–1891) and financed by August Belmont Sr. (1816–1890), for whom the race was named. The first race in 1867 saw the filly Ruthless win, while the following year was won by General Duke.[4] The race continued to be held at Jerome Park until 1890, when it was moved to the nearby facility, Morris Park Racecourse.[5] The 1895 race was almost not held because of new laws that banned bookmaking in New York: it was eventually rescheduled for November 2.[6] The race remained at Morris Park Racecourse until the May 1905 opening of the new Belmont Park, 430-acre (1.7 km2) racetrack in Elmont, New York on Long Island, just outside the New York City borough of Queens.[5] When anti-gambling legislation was passed in New York State, Belmont Racetrack was closed, and the race was cancelled in 1911 and 1912.[7]

The first winner of the Triple Crown was Sir Barton, in 1919, before the series was recognized as such.[8] In 1920, the Belmont was won by the great Man o' War, who won by 20 lengths, setting a new stakes and American record.[9]

Starting in 1926, the winner of the Belmont Stakes has been presented with August Belmont Trophy. The owner may keep the trophy for one year, and also receives a silver miniature for permanent use.[5]

1930–2000: Evolution of the Triple Crown series
Main article: Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States)

The term Triple Crown was first used when Gallant Fox won the three races in 1930, but the term did not enter widespread use until 1935 when his son Omaha repeated the feat. Sir Barton was then honored retroactively.[10] Since 1931, the order of Triple Crown races has been the Kentucky Derby first, followed by the Preakness Stakes, and then the Belmont Stakes. Prior to 1931, the Preakness was run before the Derby eleven times. On May 12, 1917 and again on May 13, 1922, the Preakness and the Derby were run on the same day. On eleven occasions, the Belmont Stakes was run before the Preakness Stakes.[11] The date of each event is now set by the Kentucky Derby, which is always held on the first Saturday in May. The Preakness Stakes is currently held two weeks later; and the Belmont Stakes is held three weeks after the Preakness (five weeks after the Derby). The earliest possible date for the Derby is May 1, and the latest is May 7; the earliest possible date for the Belmont is thus June 5, and the latest is June 11.[12]

Assault, winner of the 1946 Triple Crown

In 1937, War Admiral became the fourth Triple Crown winner after winning the Belmont in a new track record time of 2:28 3/5.[13] In the 1940s, four Triple Crown winners followed: Whirlaway in 1941, Count Fleet in 1943, Assault in 1946 and Citation in 1948. Count Fleet won the race by a then-record margin of twenty-five lengths.[14] He also set a stakes record of 2:28 1/5, a record tied by Citation. In 1957, the stakes record was smashed when Gallant Man ran the Belmont in 2:26 3/5 in a year when the Triple Crown series was split three ways.[15]

The Belmont Stakes race was held at Aqueduct Racetrack from 1963 to 1967, while the track at Belmont was restored and renovated.

The largest crowd of the 20th century was in 1971 with over 80,000 people, supplemented by the city's Latino community, there to cheer on their new hero, Cañonero II, the Venezuelan colt who had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and was poised to win the U.S. Triple Crown. However, due to a foot infection that had bothered the horse for several days, Cañonero II failed to win the Triple Crown when he struggled across the finish line in 4th place behind Pass Catcher, ridden by Walter Blum. Despite this loss, Cañonero II was named the winner of the first Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Male Horse.[16]

On June 9, 1973, Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes by thirty-one lengths in a record time of 2:24, becoming a Triple Crown champion, ending a 25-year gap between Citation, the Belmont and Triple Crown winner in 1948. Secretariat's record still stands as the fastest running of the Belmont Stakes and an American record for 1½ miles on the dirt.[17] In 1977, Seattle Slew became the first horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated. Affirmed was the last winner of the Triple Crown in the 20th century, taking the Belmont Stakes in 2:26 4/5 on June 10, 1978. Ridden by eighteen-year-old Steve Cauthen, Affirmed defeated rival Alydar with Jorge Velásquez in the saddle. At the time the race was the third-slowest start and the third-fastest finish with the quarter in 25, the half in 50, 3/4 in 1:14, the mile in 1:37 2/5.[18]

In 1988, Secretariat's son Risen Star won the Belmont in 2:26 2/5, then the second-fastest time in the history of the race. The next year, Easy Goer lowered the mark for second-fastest time to 2:26. Easy Goer also holds a Beyer Speed Figure of 122 for the race, the best of any Triple Crown race since these ratings were first published in 1987.[19]

2001–present: Recent years
The crowd packs the facility when a Triple Crown is on the line

For three years in a row, horses came to the Belmont Stakes with a Triple Crown on the line only to fail. In 2002, Belmont Park hosted what was then the largest crowd in its history when 103,222 saw War Emblem lose to longshot Sarava after stumbling at the start. In 2003, 101,864 watched Funny Cide finish third behind Empire Maker. In 2004, the attendance record was shattered when 120,139 people saw Smarty Jones upset by Birdstone.[20]

In 2007, Rags to Riches became the first filly to win the race since Tanya in 1905. Three more failed Triple Crown bids followed: in 2008, Big Brown lost to Da' Tara; in 2012, I'll Have Another was withdrawn due to injury; and in 2014, California Chrome was beaten by Tonalist. This fueled debate about whether the series needed to be changed, for example by lengthening the period between races.[21]

American Pharoah won the 2015 race, becoming the 12th horse in history to win the Triple Crown and the first in 37 years. The crowd that year was limited for the first time, to 90,000.[22] His time of 2:26.65 was the sixth-fastest in Belmont Stakes history, and the second-fastest time for a Triple Crown winner.[23] In 2018, Justify became the 13th Triple Crown winner and only the second horse to do so while undefeated.[24]

The 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes took place without in-person fans on June 20, 2020,[25] delayed from June 6 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading to the announcement, NYRA considered various dates after evaluating the spring-summer meeting at Belmont Park and after the other three majors set their respective dates: the Kentucky Derby moving to September 5, the Preakness Stakes moving to October 3, and the Breeders' Cup Classic slated for November 7. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York announced on May 16 that horse racing tracks statewide, including Belmont Park, would be permitted to resume races without in-person fans on June 1.[26] The 2020 contest also marked the first time in history that the Belmont Stakes served as the Triple Crown's opening leg, with its running length shortened accordingly to 1 1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs),[27] its shortest distance since 1894.[28]

Distance and race details

The Belmont Stakes has been run at a mile and a half since 1926 (except 2020[27]), having been run at that distance in 1874–1889.

The race has also been run at the following distances: a mile and five furlongs in 1867–1873; a mile and a quarter in 1890–1892, 1895, and 1904–1905; a mile and a furlong in 1893–1894 and again in 2020; and a mile and three furlongs from 1896 to 1903 and 1906–1925.

The purse for the first running in 1867 was $1,500 added,[29] meaning the purse was supplemented by nomination and entry fees. This made the total purse $2,500, with the winner receiving $1,850. The purse increased sharply in the Roaring Twenties, from Man O'War's earnings of $7,950 in 1920 to Gallant Fox's take of $66,040 in 1930. Purses declined as a result of the Great Depression, with War Admiral earning only $28,020 in 1937, then began to recover. Throughout the sixties and early seventies, the value to the winner was roughly $100,000, depending on the added money generated by entry fees (larger fields thus leading to higher prize money). The purse was repeatedly raised in the eighties and nineties, reaching $500,000 added, with the winner receiving roughly $400,000.[4] In 1998, the purse was changed to $1,000,000 guaranteed, with the winner receiving $600,000. In 2014, the purse was raised to $1,500,000.[30]

With one exception, the race has been run at a level weight of 126 pounds (with a 5-pound allowance for fillies) since 1900. The 126 pounds comes from the English Classics, where the standard weight is 9 stone, with one stone equaling 14 pounds. In 1913, the Belmont was run as a handicap with the winner carrying only 109 pounds compared to the runner-up carrying 126 pounds. Races run prior to 1900 had varied weight conditions.[4]

The first post parade in the United States was at the 14th Belmont, in 1880. Before 1921, the race was run in the clockwise tradition of English racing. Since then, the race has been run in the American, or counter-clockwise, direction. Because of its length (one lap around the enormous Belmont main track), and because it is the final race of the Triple Crown, it is called the "Test of the Champion". Most three-year-olds are unaccustomed to the distance, and lack the experience, if not the stamina, to maintain a winning speed for so long. In a long race such as the Belmont, positioning of the horse and the timing of the move to chase for the lead can be critical.

Traditions
The winner's blanket, made of white carnations

The Belmont Stakes is traditionally called "The Test of the Champion" because of its 1.5 mile length—by far the longest of the three Triple Crown races, and one of the longest for a first-class race in the United States on the dirt. It is also known as "The Run for the Carnations" because the winning horse is draped with a blanket of white carnations after the race, in similar fashion to the blanket of roses and black-eyed Susans for the Derby and Preakness, respectively. The winning owner is ceremonially presented with the silver winner's trophy, designed by Paulding Farnham for Tiffany and Co. It was first presented to August Belmont Jr. in 1896 and donated by the Belmont family for annual presentation in 1926.

Despite the fact that the Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the Triple Crown races, its traditions have been more subject to change. Until 1996, the post parade song was "The Sidewalks of New York". From 1997 to 2009, the song was changed to broadcast a recording by Frank Sinatra of the "Theme from New York" in an attempt to appeal to younger fans.[31] In 2010, the song was changed to Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" sung by Jasmine V[32] before reverting to "Theme from New York" from 2011[33] through the present. This tradition is similar to the singing of the state song at the post parades of the first two Triple Crown races: "My Old Kentucky Home" at the Kentucky Derby and "Maryland, My Maryland" at the Preakness Stakes.[5] The change of song gave rise to "the myth of Mamie O'Rourke", a reference to a character in the lyrics of "The Sidewalks of New York." Before American Pharoah won the Triple Crown in 2015, some claimed that changing the official Belmont song "cursed" the Triple Crown and was why no horse had won since Affirmed in 1978. Others note that there was no Triple Crown winner between 1979 and 1996, even though "Sidewalks" was still played.[34]

Along with the change of song in 1997, the official drink was also changed, from the "White Carnation" to the "Belmont Breeze."[35] The New York Times reviewed both cocktails unfavorably, calling the Belmont Breeze "a significant improvement over the nigh undrinkable White Carnation" despite the fact that it "tastes like a refined trashcan punch."[36] In 2011, the Belmont Breeze was again changed to the current official drink known as the "Belmont Jewel."

While the origin of the white carnation as the official flower of the Belmont Stakes is unknown, traditionally, pure white carnations stand for love and luck. It takes approximately 700 "select" carnations imported from Colombia to create the 40-pound blanket draped over the winner of the Belmont Stakes. The NYRA has long used The Pennock Company, a wholesale florist based in Philadelphia to import the carnations used for the mantle.[37]

Broadcasting history

From 1986 until 2005, the Triple Crown television rights comprised a single package. In late 2004, the New York Racing Association withdrew from that agreement to negotiate independently.[38] As a result of this NBC, who was the rights holder for all three events, was only able to keep its broadcast rights to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. ABC regained the rights to the Belmont Stakes as part of a five-year contract that expired following the 2010 race; NBC has since regained the rights to the race through 2020.

Records
Kenny McPeek – 2002 Belmont Stakes (G1) win with Sarava, who at odds of 70–1, upset War Emblem's bid for the Triple Crown.[42]

Speed record:[43][lower-alpha 1]

  • 2:24 flat – Secretariat (1973; ​1 1⁄2 miles). Secretariat also holds the fastest ½-, ¾-, 1- and 1¼-mile fractions in Belmont history.
  • 2:14.20 – Man o' War (1920; 1 3/8 miles)
  • 2:56 flat – Harry Bassett (1871; 1 5/8 miles)
  • 1:46.53 – Tiz the Law (2020; 1 1/8 miles)
  • 2:06.60 – Delhi (1904; ​1 1⁄4 miles)

Biggest Margin of Victory:[43]

Most wins by a jockey:[43]

Most wins by a trainer:[43]

Most wins by an owner:[43]

Trivia
  • Only James G. Rowe Sr. and George M. Odom have won the Belmont Stakes as both jockey and trainer.
  • On June 5, 1993 Thoroughbred racing's all-time leading female jockey, Julie Krone, became the first woman to win a Triple Crown race when she rode to victory in the Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair.
  • In 1984, Sarah Lundy became the first female trainer to saddle a horse in the Belmont Stakes, sending out Minstrel Star, who finished eleventh.
  • The 2004 race had the biggest attendance in the park's history with 120,139.
  • Sarava, at odds of 70–1, upset War Emblem's bid for the Triple Crown.[42]
  • Braulio Baeza has the distinction of winning three Belmont Stakes over three different surfaces. He won in his Belmont Stakes debut on 65 to 1 long-shot Sherluck in 1961 at the old Belmont Park, won in 1963 on Chateaugay when the race was run at Aqueduct, and won in 1969 on Arts and Letters at the new Belmont Park.
  • Prior to the 2016 running, bay horses had the most victories with 56. Chestnuts were close behind with 54 wins, followed by 33 dark bay/browns. Only three gray/roan horses had won[43] (Belmar in 1895, Native Dancer in 1953, and High Echelon in 1970). In 2016, gray horses swept the top three positions.[44]
  • Fourteen Belmont Stakes winners have sired at least one Belmont winner. Leading this list is Man o' War, who sired three subsequent winners — American Flag, Crusader and Triple Crown winner War Admiral.[43]
  • Twenty-three horses missed their chance at a Triple Crown by not winning the Belmont. Eight of these finished second: Pensive (1944), Tim Tam (1958), Forward Pass (1968), Majestic Prince (1969), Sunday Silence (1989), Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), and Smarty Jones (2004). Five finished third: Northern Dancer (1964), Spectacular Bid (1979), Pleasant Colony (1981), Charismatic (1999), and Funny Cide (2003). Four finished fourth: Kauai King (1966), Canonero II (1971), Alysheba (1987), and California Chrome (2014). Carry Back (1961) finished seventh, War Emblem (2002) finished eighth and Big Brown (2008) did not finish. Finally, three Derby/Preakness winners did not race in the Belmont: Burgoo King (1932), Bold Venture (1933) and I'll Have Another (2012), though I'll Have Another was injured and was scratched the day before his Belmont Stakes in 2012.[43]

Fillies in the Belmont

Only 23 fillies have run in the Belmont; three of which have won:

This gives them a respectable 13% win rate when entered.[45] For context, three fillies have won the Kentucky Derby while five have won the Preakness Stakes. On average, fillies have won between 2% and 3% of the Triple Crown races, with similar numbers for geldings; while about 95% of these races have been won by colts. The last filly as of November 2017 to run in the Belmont was in 2013 when Unlimited Budget ran six behind the winner Palace Malice.

Foreign-born winners

Winners
Belmont Stakes winners since 1867
Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Track Length Time*
2020 Tiz the Law Manny Franco Barclay Tagg Sackatoga Stable Belmont 1​1⁄8-miles 1:46.53
2019 Sir Winston Joel Rosario Mark E. Casse Tracy Farmer 1​1⁄2-miles 2:28.30
2018 Justify † Mike Smith Bob Baffert WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, et al. 2:28.18
2017 Tapwrit José Ortiz Todd Pletcher Bridlewood Farm, et al. 2:30.02
2016 Creator Irad Ortiz Jr. Steve Asmussen WinStar Farm 2:28.51
2015 American Pharoah † Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert Zayat Stables, LLC 2:26.65
2014 Tonalist Joel Rosario Christophe Clement Robert S. Evans 2:28.52
2013 Palace Malice Mike Smith Todd Pletcher Dogwood Stable 2:30.70
2012 Union Rags John Velazquez Michael Matz Phyllis M. Wyeth 2:30.42
2011 Ruler on Ice Jose Valdivia Jr. Kelly Breen George and Lori Hall 2:30.88
2010 Drosselmeyer Mike Smith William Mott WinStar Farm LLC 2:31.57
2009 Summer Bird Kent Desormeaux Tim Ice Kalarikkal & Vilasini Jayaraman 2:27.54
2008 Da'Tara Alan Garcia Nick Zito Robert V. LaPenta 2:29.65
2007 Rags to Riches ‡ John Velazquez Todd Pletcher M. Tabor & D. Smith 2:28.74
2006 Jazil Fernando Jara Kiaran McLaughlin Shadwell Farm 2:27.86
2005 Afleet Alex Jeremy Rose Timothy Ritchey Cash is King LLC 2:28.75
2004 Birdstone Edgar Prado Nick Zito Marylou Whitney Stables 2:27.50
2003 Empire Maker Jerry Bailey Robert Frankel Juddmonte Farms 2:28.26
2002 Sarava Edgar Prado Kenneth McPeek New Phoenix Stable 2:29.71
2001 Point Given Gary Stevens Bob Baffert The Thoroughbred Corp. 2:26.56
2000 Commendable Pat Day D. Wayne Lukas Bob & Beverly Lewis 2:31.19
1999 Lemon Drop Kid José A. Santos Scotty Schulhofer Jeanne G. Vance 2:27.88
1998 Victory Gallop Gary Stevens W. Elliott Walden Prestonwood Farm 2:29.16
1997 Touch Gold Chris McCarron David Hofmans Frank Stronach 2:28.82
1996 Editor's Note René R. Douglas D. Wayne Lukas Overbrook Farm 2:28.96
1995 Thunder Gulch Gary Stevens Michael Tabor 2:32.02
1994 Tabasco Cat Pat Day Reynolds/Overbrook 2:26.82
1993 Colonial Affair Julie Krone Scotty Schulhofer Centennial Farms 2:29.97
1992 A.P. Indy Ed Delahoussaye Neil Drysdale Tomonori Tsurumaki 2:26.13
1991 Hansel Jerry Bailey Frank L. Brothers Lazy Lane Farm 2:28.10
1990 Go And Go Michael Kinane Dermot K. Weld Moyglare Stud Farm 2:27.20
1989 Easy Goer Pat Day C. R. McGaughey III Ogden Phipps 2:26.00
1988 Risen Star Ed Delahoussaye Louie J. Roussel III Louie J. Roussel III 2:26.40
1987 Bet Twice Craig Perret Jimmy Croll Blanche P. Levy 2:28.20
1986 Danzig Connection Chris McCarron Woody Stephens Henryk de Kwiatkowski 2:29.80
1985 Creme Fraiche Eddie Maple Brushwood Stables 2:27.00
1984 Swale Laffit Pincay Jr. Claiborne Farm 2:27.20
1983 Caveat August Belmont IV 2:27.80
1982 Conquistador Cielo Henryk de Kwiatkowski 2:28.20
1981 Summing George Martens Luis S. Barrera Charles T. Wilson Jr. 2:29.00
1980 Temperence Hill Eddie Maple Joseph B. Cantey Loblolly Stable 2:29.80
1979 Coastal Ruben Hernandez David A. Whiteley William Haggin Perry 2:28.60
1978 Affirmed † Steve Cauthen Laz Barrera Harbor View Farm 2:26.80
1977 Seattle Slew † Jean Cruguet William H. Turner Jr. Karen L. Taylor 2:29.60
1976 Bold Forbes Ángel Cordero Jr. Laz Barrera E. Rodriguez Tizol 2:29.00
1975 Avatar Bill Shoemaker Tommy Doyle Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. 2:28.20
1974 Little Current Miguel A. Rivera Lou Rondinello Darby Dan Farm 2:29.20
1973 Secretariat † Ron Turcotte Lucien Laurin Meadow Stable 2:24.00
1972 Riva Ridge Meadow Stud 2:28.00
1971 Pass Catcher Walter Blum Eddie Yowell October House Farm 2:30.40
1970 High Echelon John L. Rotz John W. Jacobs Ethel D. Jacobs 2:34.00
1969 Arts and Letters Braulio Baeza J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables 2:28.80
1968 Stage Door Johnny Heliodoro Gustines John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 2:27.20
1967 Damascus Bill Shoemaker Frank Y. Whiteley Jr. Edith W. Bancroft Aqueduct 2:28.80
1966 Amberoid William Boland Lucien Laurin Reginald N. Webster 2:29.60
1965 Hail To All Johnny Sellers Eddie Yowell Zelda Cohen 2:28.40
1964 Quadrangle Manuel Ycaza J. Elliott Burch Rokeby Stables 2:28.40
1963 Chateaugay Braulio Baeza James P. Conway Darby Dan Farm 2:30.20
1962 Jaipur Bill Shoemaker Bert Mulholland George D. Widener Jr. Belmont 2:28.80
1961 Sherluck Braulio Baeza Harold Young Jacob Sher 2:29.20
1960 Celtic Ash Bill Hartack Thomas J. Barry Joseph E. O'Connell 2:29.20
1959 Sword Dancer Bill Shoemaker J. Elliott Burch Brookmeade Stable 2:28.40
1958 Cavan Pete Anderson Thomas J. Barry Joseph E. O'Connell 2:30.20
1957 Gallant Man Bill Shoemaker John A. Nerud Ralph Lowe 2:26.60
1956 Needles David Erb Hugh L. Fontaine D & H Stable 2:29.80
1955 Nashua Eddie Arcaro Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2:29.00
1954 High Gun Eric Guerin Max Hirsch King Ranch 2:30.80
1953 Native Dancer Bill Winfrey Alfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. 2:28.60
1952 One Count Eddie Arcaro Oscar White Sarah F. Jeffords 2:30.20
1951 Counterpoint Dave Gorman Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 2:29.00
1950 Middleground William Boland Max Hirsch King Ranch 2:28.60
1949 Capot Ted Atkinson John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 2:30.20
1948 Citation † Eddie Arcaro Horace A. Jones Calumet Farm 2:28.20
1947 Phalanx Ruperto Donoso Sylvester Veitch C. V. Whitney 2:29.40
1946 Assault † Warren Mehrtens Max Hirsch King Ranch 2:30.80
1945 Pavot Eddie Arcaro Oscar White Walter M. Jeffords Sr. 2:30.20
1944 Bounding Home Gayle Smith Matthew P. Brady William Ziegler Jr. 2:32.20
1943 Count Fleet † Johnny Longden Don Cameron Fannie Hertz 2:28.20
1942 Shut Out Eddie Arcaro John M. Gaver Sr. Greentree Stable 2:29.20
1941 Whirlaway † Ben A. Jones Calumet Farm 2:31.00
1940 Bimelech Fred A. Smith William A. Hurley Edward R. Bradley 2:29.60
1939 Johnstown James Stout Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2:29.60
1938 Pasteurized George M. Odom Carol Harriman Plunkett 2:29.40
1937 War Admiral † Charley Kurtsinger George Conway Glen Riddle Farm 2:28.60
1936 Granville James Stout Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2:30.00
1935 Omaha † Willie Saunders 2:30.60
1934 Peace Chance Wayne D. Wright Pete Coyne Joseph E. Widener 2:29.20
1933 Hurryoff Mack Garner Henry McDaniel 2:32.60
1932 Faireno Tommy Malley Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2:32.80
1931 Twenty Grand Charley Kurtsinger James G. Rowe Jr. Greentree Stable 2:29.60
1930 Gallant Fox † Earl Sande Jim Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2:31.60
1929 Blue Larkspur Mack Garner Herbert J. Thompson Edward R. Bradley 2:32.80
1928 Vito Clarence Kummer Max Hirsch Alfred H. Cosden 2:33.20
1927 Chance Shot Earl Sande Pete Coyne Joseph E. Widener 2:32.40
1926 Crusader Albert Johnson George Conway Glen Riddle Farm 2:32.20
1925 American Flag Albert Johnson Gwyn R. Tompkins 1​3⁄8-miles 2:16.80
1924 Mad Play Earl Sande Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 2:18.80
1923 Zev 2:19.00
1922 Pillory Charles H. Miller Thomas J. Healey Richard T. Wilson Jr. 2:18.80
1921 Grey Lag Earl Sande Sam Hildreth Rancocas Stable 2:16.80
1920 Man o' War Clarence Kummer Louis Feustel Glen Riddle Farm 2:14.20
1919 Sir Barton † Johnny Loftus H. Guy Bedwell J. K. L. Ross 2:17.40
1918 Johren Frank Robinson Albert Simons Harry P. Whitney 2:20.40
1917 Hourless James H. Butwell Sam Hildreth August Belmont Jr. 2:17.80
1916 Friar Rock Everett Haynes 2:22.00
1915 The Finn George Byrne Edward W. Heffner Harry C. Hallenbeck 2:18.40
1914 Luke McLuke Merritt C. Buxton John F. Schorr John W. Schorr 2:20.00
1913 Prince Eugene Roscoe Troxler James G. Rowe Sr. Harry P. Whitney 2:18.00
1912 No races held due to the Hart–Agnew Law.
1911
1910 Sweep James H. Butwell James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene Belmont 1​3⁄8-miles 2:22.00
1909 Joe Madden Eddie Dugan Sam Hildreth Sam Hildreth 2:21.60
1908 Colin Joe Notter James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene N/A
1907 Peter Pan George Mountain N/A
1906 Burgomaster Lucien Lyne John W. Rogers Harry P. Whitney 2:20.00
1905 Tanya ‡ Gene Hildebrand 1​1⁄4-miles 2:08.00
1904 Delhi George M. Odom James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene Morris Park 2:06.60
1903 Africander John Bullman Richard O. Miller Hampton Stable 1​3⁄8-miles 2:21.75
1902 Masterman John J. Hyland August Belmont Jr. 2:22.60
1901 Commando Henry Spencer James G. Rowe Sr. James R. Keene 2:21.00
1900 Ildrim Nash Turner H. Eugene Leigh H. Eugene Leigh 2:21.25
1899 Jean Bereaud Richard Clawson Sam Hildreth Sydney Paget 2:23.00
1898 Bowling Brook Fred Littlefield R. Wyndham Walden A. H. & D. H. Morris 2:32.00
1897 Scottish Chieftain Joe Scherrer Matt Byrnes Marcus Daly 2:23.25
1896 Hastings Henry Griffin John J. Hyland Blemton Stable 2:24.50
1895 Belmar Fred Taral Edward Feakes Preakness Stables 1​1⁄4-miles 2:11.50
1894 Henry of Navarre Willie Simms Byron McClelland Byron McClelland 1​1⁄8-miles 1:56.50
1893 Comanche Gus Hannon Empire Stable 1:53.25
1892 Patron William Hayward Louis Stuart Louis Stuart 1​1⁄4-miles 2:17.00
1891 Foxford Edward H. Garrison Michael Donavan C. E. Rand 2:08.75
1890 Burlington Shelby "Pike" Barnes Albert Cooper Hough Bros. 2:07.75
1889 Eric William Hayward John Huggins A. J. Cassatt Jerome Park 1​1⁄2-miles 2:47.25
1888 Sir Dixon Jim McLaughlin Frank McCabe Dwyer Bros. Stable 2:40.25
1887 Hanover 2:43.50
1886 Inspector B 2:41.00
1885 Tyrant Patsy Duffy William R. Claypool James B. A. Haggin 2:43.00
1884 Panique Jim McLaughlin James G. Rowe Sr. Dwyer Bros. Stable 2:42.00
1883 George Kinney 2:42.50
1882 Forester Lewis Stewart Appleby & Johnson 2:43.00
1881 Saunterer Tom Costello R. Wyndham Walden George L. Lorillard 2:47.00
1880 Grenada Lloyd Hughes 2:47.00
1879 Spendthrift George Evans Thomas Puryear James R. Keene 2:42.75
1878 Duke of Magenta Lloyd Hughes R. Wyndham Walden George L. Lorillard 2:43.50
1877 Cloverbrook Cyrus Holloway Jeter Walden Edwin Augustus Clabaugh 2:46.00
1876 Algerine Billy Donohue Thomas W. Doswell Doswell & Co. 2:40.50
1875 Calvin Robert Swim Ansel Williamson H. Price McGrath 2:42.25
1874 Saxon George Barbee William Pryor Pierre Lorillard IV 2:39.50
1873 Springbok James G. Rowe Sr. David McDaniel David McDaniel 1​5⁄8-miles 3:01.75
1872 Joe Daniels 2:58.25
1871 Harry Bassett W. Miller 2:56.00
1870 Kingfisher Edward D. Brown Raleigh Colston Sr. Daniel Swigert 2:59.50
1869 Fenian C. Miller Jacob Pincus August Belmont 3:04.25
1868 General Duke Robert Swim Andrew Thompson McConnell & Co. 3:02.00
1867 Ruthless ‡ Gilbert Patrick A. Jack Minor Francis Morris 3:05.00
  • Note: Timed to the ​1⁄4 second 1867 to 1901 and 1903, and to the ​1⁄5 second in 1902 and from 1904 to 1991. Decimal timing, to the nearest ​1⁄100, is now used, though race calls and many charts still use fifths.

A † designates a Triple Crown Winner.
A ‡ designates a filly.

See also

Explanatory notes
  1. Before 1991, times were measured in fractions. Since then, decimal times to the hundredth have been used. When comparing the fractional times to decimal values, it is racing convention to round the decimal time down to the nearest fifth. Thus A.P. Indy's time of 2:26.13 is considered equivalent to Easy Goer's time of 2:26 flat.

Citations
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