The battle lines for the most eagerly awaited Triple Crown showdown in the last few years were set June 2 as a field of eight was announced for the $2 million Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
It will be Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby (G1) winner who skipped the Preakness Stakes (G1), in post 2 and Journalism, the Run for the Roses runner-up and an incredible winner of the Preakness, in post 7 for the June 7 1 1/4-mile final jewel in the Triple Crown.
Journalism is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. Sovereignty is the 2-1 second choice.
"I think they got it right," Journalism's trainer, Michael McCarthy, said about the odds.
While Sovereignty's trainer Bill Mott targeted the Belmont for Godolphin's homebred son of Into Mischief in the days following the Kentucky Derby, the decision to run Journalism and cement the blockbuster matchup was not made until June 1.
The post positions are set for the Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by @NYRABets on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/oDSq30ajbP
— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 2, 2025
"He does everything you ask a good horse to do. He eats well, trains well, acts well," said McCarthy, who trains the son of Curlin for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Robert LaPenta, breeder Don Alberto Stable, Elayne Stable 5, and the Coolmore partners. "I thought throughout the last six, seven weeks his energy has been the same throughout."
After finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby, Journalism returned on two weeks' rest in the Preakness and turned in a spellbinding effort as he bulled his way through horses at the top of the stretch and then made up five lengths on Gosger in the final furlong to win by a half-length.
"Off of what I've seen, all the videos and what-have-you, the horse seems like he's maintaining his edge, maintaining his form," McCarthy said.
Mott said he has been pleased with the way Sovereignty has trained since arriving at the Spa.
"We've been very lucky with everything that's gone on since he's been here," Mott said at Monday's post position draw at Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. "He's been moving well over the racetrack and eating the bottom out of the feed tub, and he's carrying his weight well. I hope he's doing as good on Saturday as he was doing this morning."
The Belmont will also bring together the top three finishers from the Kentucky Derby, as Baeza, who was a neck behind Journalism on the first Saturday in May, drew post 6 for Saturday's race.
"You have three quality colts coming back after the Derby. That's the good news," said Robert Clay, whose Grandview Equine bred the son of McKinzie out of the stellar mare Puca and is a co-owner of Baeza along with C R K Stable. "It's a good group and exciting year for our sport with good horses running for the big prizes."
Baeza, trained by John Shirreffs, was second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
"He proved himself in the Kentucky Derby," said Shirreffs, who also trained the Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta.
Wood Memorial (G2) winner Rodriguez drew post 3 as he makes his first start since that April 5 victory due to a quarter-crack that kept him out of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
"The foot has healed up well and looks good," trainer Bob Baffert said. "There may not be a lot of them (in the Belmont), but they are good ones. It's a short field because the best 3-year-olds are in there."
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Top New York trainer Chad Brown will try to win his first Belmont with Peter Pan Stakes (G3) winner Hill Road (post 1), who was third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1).
Trainer Todd Pletcher, a four-time winner of the Belmont, will send out a duo of starters in Sir Barton Stakes winner Crudo (post 5) and Uncaged (post 4), who was sixth in the Peter Pan.
The field of eight for the second Belmont Stakes contested at the Spa also includes Heart of Honor (post 8), who was fifth in the Preakness in his United States debut.
First-race post time Saturday will be 10:45 a.m.
The Belmont will be the 13th of 14 races with post time at 7:04 p.m. Television coverage will be provided by FOX from 2:30 until 7:30 p.m. FS1 will cover the card from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. as well as 4:30-8:15 p.m.
First-race post times for the other four cards at Saratoga will be 12:40 p.m. on June 4-5 and 7 and 11:40 a.m. on June 6.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, June 7, 2025, Race 13Entries: Belmont S. Presented by NYRA Bets (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Hill Road (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 126 Chad C. Brown 10/1 2 2Sovereignty (KY) Junior Alvarado 126 William I. Mott 2/1 3 3Rodriguez (KY) Mike E. Smith 126 Bob Baffert 6/1 4 4Uncaged (KY) Luis Saez 126 Todd A. Pletcher 30/1 5 5Crudo (KY) John R. Velazquez 126 Todd A. Pletcher 15/1 6 6Baeza (KY) Flavien Prat 126 John A. Shirreffs 4/1 7 7Journalism (KY) Umberto Rispoli 126 Michael W. McCarthy 8/5 8 8Heart of Honor (GB) Saffie Osborne 126 Jamie Osborne 30/1
