This year’s Triple Crown will not have a winner, but the Belmont Stakes still promises excitement. On Saturday, the race will showcase a highly anticipated rematch between Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby champion, and Journalism, the Preakness winner. Sovereignty skipped the Preakness after finishing 1.5 lengths behind Journalism in the Kentucky Derby.
Journalism, who finished 7th in the Belmont last year, is the morning line favorite at 8-5 odds, with Sovereignty close behind at 2-1. For the second year in a row, the 157th Belmont Stakes will take place in Saratoga, New York, as Belmont Park undergoes renovations. The race is scheduled for 7:04 p.m. on Saturday.
Here are the morning odds, trainers, and jockeys for this final Triple Crown race:
1. Hill Road (10-1) – Trainer: Chad Brown; Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
2. Sovereignty (2-1) – Trainer: Bill Mott; Jockey: Junior Alvarado
3. Rodriguez (6-1) – Trainer: Bob Baffert; Jockey: Mike Smith
4. Casged (30-1) – Trainer: Todd Plecher; Jockey: Lewis Thirds
5. Crude Oil (15-1) – Trainer: Todd Plecher; Jockey: John Velazquez
6. Baeza (4-1) – Trainer: John Silef; Jockey: Flavien Prat
7. Journalism (8-5) – Trainer: Michael McCarthy; Jockey: Humberto Rispoli
8. Heart of Honor (30-1) – Trainer: Jamie Osborne; Jockey: Saffie Osborne
Fan Take: This Belmont Stakes matchup keeps the thrill of the Triple Crown alive despite no overall winner, offering fans a captivating rivalry to follow. The race’s relocation to Saratoga adds a unique twist, potentially shaping how future Belmont Stakes are approached and experienced.