The Belmont Stakes is a Grade I stakes event held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds, while fillies carry 121 pounds. The traditional third and final leg of the Triple Crown is known as The Test of the Champion, The Test of Champions, and The Run for the Carnations. It is usually held on the first or second Saturday in June, five weeks after the Kentucky Derby and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. Secretariat, who won the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown in 1973, maintains the mile and a half stakes record of 2:24.
The Belmont Stakes, spanning 1+1⁄2 miles, spans one complete circuit of Belmont Park, dubbed "The Championship Track" since it has hosted practically every major American champion in racing history. Belmont Park is regarded as one of the fairest racetracks in the United States, because to its massive, wide, sweeping bends and lengthy homestretch. Despite the distance, the event favors horses with tactical speed: just a few winners come close to closing the gap on the early leaders.
The Belmont Stakes is one of the most well-attended races in American horse racing. The 2004 Belmont Stakes attracted 21.9 million people on television, the greatest household watching rate since Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown in 1977.
In 2015, American Pharoah won the 147th Belmont Stakes, becoming the first horse since 1978's Affirmed to capture the Triple Crown. In 2018, Justify won the 150th Belmont Stakes, becoming the 13th Triple Crown winner.
