2025 Belmont Stakes Odds, Betting Prediction, Post Positions, Trainers, Jockeys

Sean Treppedi | Jun 3, 2025

Sovereignty, who is the second-favorite for the 2025 Belmont Stakes, has good reason to upset Journalism again on Saturday, June 7, 2025. / Michael Clevenger and Christopher Granger/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 157th Belmont Stakes returns to Saratoga Race Course for a second straight year while renovations continue at Belmont Park.

Eight horses will compete in the final leg of the Triple Crown with Journalism and Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stake winners, respectively, headlining the field. Sovereignty didn’t race in the Preakness after beating Kentucky Derby-favorite Journalism by 1 ½ lengths in the opening leg of the Triple Crown. 

Here’s a picture of how the field stacks up with odds and starting gates at Saratoga on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Belmont Stakes Odds, Pole Positions and Jockeys

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Pole Position	Horse	Odds	Jockey
1	Hill Road	10-1	Irad Ortiz Jr.
2	Sovereignty	2-1	Junior Alvarado
3	Rodriguez	6-1	Mike Smith
4	Uncaged	30-1	Luis Saez
5	Crudo	15-1	John Velasquez
6	Baeza	4-1	Flavien Prat
7	Journalism	8-5	Umberto Rispoli
8	Heart of Honor	30-1	Saffie Osborne

Journalism Set as Belmont Favorite

It comes as no surprise that Journalism arrives as the morning-line favorite for the third straight Triple Crown race of 2025. Sovereignty checks in right behind him at 2-1. The favorite of the Belmont Stakes has won 66 times in its 156-year history, which translates to 35%, but it's only happened five times since the points qualification system was adopted in 2012.

Journalism effectively showcased his resilience and strong closing speed at the Preakness. But Sovereignty’s decision to skip the Preakness raises questions about confidence despite his Derby win. With the Belmont’s 1 ¼-mile distance, which is shorter than traditional editions, both horses may have less room to rely on their late bursts. 

Historically, only four Preakness winners since 2000 have gone on to win the Belmont, adding just another layer of uncertainty to this year’s Triple Crown finale.

2025 Belmont Stakes Prediction and Pick

While Sovereignty skipped the Preakness, he has been training at Saratoga in the time since his Kentucky Derby triumph. Excluding Triple Crown champions, he’ll attempt to become the first Kentucky Derby winner to win the Belmont Stakes since Thunder Gulch in 1995. 

I’m less concerned about Saratoga’s shorter distance with Sovereignty than I am Journalism because he has proven his adaptability with wins in the Grade 3 Street Sense and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, which both had various race scenarios. Having been sired by Into Mischief and out of a Bernardini (2006 Preakness winner) mare, he’s effective coming from off the pace.

Trainer Bill Mott, who guided Drosselmeyer to a Belmont win 15 years ago, has methodically developed him for peak performances and says Sovereignty has only improved for this race. With the right stamina and experience, Mott has a good shot at collecting two legs of the Triple Crown in 2025. 

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