Despite Race-Day Changes, Belmont Posts Solid Numbers

On a 2025 Belmont Stakes day that the New York Racing Association made some tough decisions to ensure as safe a day as possible, that first responsibility took precedence over any economic indicators but the 12-race card did still manage to surpass $100 million in handle. After fairly steady rain, heavy at times, inundated Saratoga Race Course from the afternoon of June 6 through the morning of Belmont day, June 7, NYRA officials made the difficult decision to postpone a pair of grade 1 turf races scheduled for Saturday to Sunday while moving the remainder of the day's scheduled turf races to the main track. With the decision to postpone the Jaipur (G1T) and the Manhattan (G1T) stakes to Sunday, many of the day's horizontal wagers had to be cancelled, including the popular late pick 4, late pick 5, and late pick 6 wagers that would have included the Belmont Stakes (G1). The move of the day's other four scheduled turf races to the main track saw numerous scratches negatively impact field size. But the card that was reduced to 12 races proved to be a safe day and the performance of the main track drew compliments from trainers, who credited NYRA executive vice president of operations and capital projects Glen Kozak. While sloppy and sealed for much of the day, the track proved both safe and fair to runners as races were won on the lead, from midpack, and by deep closers. With the sun coming out later in the day and constant attention, the Belmont Stakes would be run on a fast track. "I knew even with all the rain we had that Glen and his crew here at NYRA were going to have the track in fantastic shape and they did," said Bill Mott, trainer of Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty. "They had it in fantastic shape all day and it rained all morning and all last night." As for the numbers, the 157th Belmont Stakes day—contested at Saratoga for a second straight year as race home Belmont Park is being rebuilt—saw $101,861,883 in all-sources handle. While that figure was down from the about $125.7 million wagered last year, it surpassed the 2022 total of nearly $98.8 million. Despite some rain to start the day, this year's attendance of 46,243 wasn't far off of last year's crowd of 50,000. On-track handle for the Belmont Stakes day card, which included three grade 1 races among six graded stakes, reached $10,440,740. All-sources handle for the Belmont Stakes race, which was carded as race 13 and was offered as the 11th event of the day, was $55,456,793. The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival concludes Sunday with a 13-race card now headlined by the Manhattan and Jaipur. First post is 12:10 p.m. ET.