The 156^th Belmont Stakes will be run on Saturday. But this year’s race comes with a couple of twists. It will be run at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. And it will be shorter than its traditional distance, covering just 1¼ miles vs. its usual 1½-mile course. 

Post-time for the final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown is 6:41 p.m. ET. The race will air on Fox. 

Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness winner Seize the Grey are in the Belmont field. They’ll be joined by Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone. 

The Belmont Stakes home course – Belmont Park – is in the midst of a renovation. The Belmont Stakes is the final jewel in the Triple Crown. It comes three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. 

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What You Need To Know About The 2024 Belmont Stakes

What Horses Will Run In The 2024 Belmont Stakes?

This field is loaded with Grade I winners. All of whom are considered to be 3-year-olds. Here is a look at the likely field, with the projected odds for each horse. Horses are listed by post position with their win-place-show record (and a number of starts), projected morning line odds, trainer, and jockey.

What Horses The Ones To Watch In The 2023 Belmont Stakes?

Given its revised distance at 1¼ miles, the Belmont Stakes is shaping up to be a sequel to the Kentucky Derby. Many of the Derby notables are in this field. Sierra Leone surged from 18^th to miss out on the win roses by a nose to Mystik Dan in a three-way photo. 

Sierra Leone is the early-line favorite. He'll attract a lot of action this week as his Derby run left a bit too much on the table. Being outside on No. 9 won't be much of a problem in this 10-horse field. He'll have all the room he needs. 

Mystik Dan drew the No. 3 post. He'll be chasing Seize the Grey out of the No. 1 gate. 

Another Derby entrant running Saturday is Dornoch. He finished a distant 10^th in the Derby, but he beat Sierra Leone by a nose at Aqueduct last year. 

Trainer Todd Pletcher has four Belmont victories on his resume. He has three horses in this field: Antiquarian, Protective, and Mindframe. The third hose, Mindframe, is 2-0 and has the best Beyer Speed Figure (103) in this field. And he’s won at 1 11/16th miles. So he can carry this distance. 

Mystik Dan is the first Derby winner to run in the Belmont after losing the Preakness since 2013. 

How Long Is The 2024 Belmont Stakes?

Traditionally, the Belmont Stakes is 1½ miles (or 12 furlongs). It’s run on a dirt track and the horses run counterclockwise. With the move to Saratoga Race Course this year and next year, the Belmont Stakes will be 1¼ miles (or 10 furlongs). That is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. 

How Much Is The Purse In The 2024 Belmont Stakes?

$2 million. 

What Horse Won Belmont Stakes In 2023?

Arcangelo went off at 7-1 and pulled away down the stretch on the inside to win the 2023 Belmont by 2½ lengths over Forte and Tapit Trice. Jena Antonucci made history as the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race. 

What Are The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Betting On Horse Racing?

FanDuel TV host Todd Schrupp offered the following perspective before the Kentucky Derby: “Exotically speaking, meaning wagers outside of Win, Place & Show, there are more wagering options than ever before. There are at least a dozen pools for different wagers tied into (any race). Narrow your focus on which ones you want to play. The Skill Set for playing 'Horizontally' into the (race), i.e.; Double, Pick Three, Pick Five, or a Pick Six, is vastly different  than trying to hit 'Vertically'. Exotic Vertical options are Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, and Super Hi-5. Be a Horizontal or Vertical player . . . not both."

What Is The No. 1 Piece Of Advice For Bettors?

"Avoid the temptation to be 'the smartest person in the room’,” Schrupp said. “We'd all like to be the only person to pick the (race) winner, and upsets do happen; but there is nothing wrong with consistently identifying solid 9-1 shots that can win versus the rarity of a 50-1 shot. Also, your first instinct about who can win . . .  is usually the best one. Don't be swayed by the deluge of information. There's nothing worse than being moved off a horse you always liked, because of someone else's opinion. Trust yourself, you got this."

Are There Any Major Misconceptions About Horse Racing Betting?

It’s not rocket science. But it does take work. “THE biggest misconception about betting on horses is that it's completely random,” Schrupp said. “There is a sophistication and cerebral component to handicapping a horse's past performances and trying to find a winner. Over time makes you realize it's more than just 'horses running in a circle'. Couple that with the challenge of which pool to bet into and constructing your play; and you have not just the greatest challenge in the gambling world, you have the most rewarding." 

The Kentucky Derby Is About The Roses. What About The Belmont?

The Belmont is known – by a few – as “The Run For The Carnations.” Those flowers signify luck and love. Thus, it is the flower of choice at the Belmont. About 700 carnations are used to make the 40-pound blanket that is draped over the winner. 

What Horse Is The Fastest Belmont Stakes Winner Of All Time?

The great Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont in a time of 2:24. That is the record for the race at its current length. Big Red’s performance that day delivered the most memorable moment in the history of thoroughbred racing. He would win the final race in his Triple Crown by 31 lengths. 

What Are The Other Races In The Triple Crown?

The other two races in the Triple Crown at the Kentucky Derby – run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky – and the Preakness Stakes – run at Pimlico in Baltimore. The Preakness is the shortest of the Triple Crown races at 1 3/16 miles (9.5 furlongs). The Belmont is traditionally the longest at 1½ miles (12 furlongs). The Derby is 1¼ miles

What Horses Have Won The Triple Crown?

The Triple Crown is bestowed upon the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Since the three races began being run in the same year in 1875, 13 horses have won them all. None was better than Secretariat. Here’s the list: