Anticipated Wagers for the 2025 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Racecourse
2025 Belmont Stakes Preview: It's Saturday at the hallowed Saratoga Race Course, and the main event, the Belmont Stakes, headlines a packed card. But don't ignore the other 11 races, six of which are graded stakes events, including the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Saratoga is a horse-racing mecca, and this year's Belmont Stakes Festival feels extra special, especially for a Saratoga native like me. I lucked out last year when Dornoch edged out Mindframe in the Belmont Stakes.
💰Related: 2025 BELMONT STAKES HORSES, JOCKEYS, MORNING-LINE ODDS, POST POSITIONS
Unfortunately, the Jaipur and Manhattan Stakes have been moved to Sunday due to the rain, but we adjust and bet for rain or shine. Here are my picks for Races 8, 10-11, and 13 at Saratoga.
🏇 2025 Belmont Stakes Day Betting Card
- Race 8: $25 to Win on #1 Fierceness
- Race 10: $10 Win-Place on #9 Noble Confessor ($20 total bet)
- Race 11: $10 Exacta Box on 3-10 ($20 total bet)
- Race 13, Belmont Stakes: $20 Win on #6 Baeza and $5 Trifecta Key on #6 over 1/2/7 ($30 total bet)
🏇 Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, 3:17 p.m. ET post time
Five horses on a 1-mile dirt track for 3-year-olds and upward with a $1M purse.
#1 Fierceness (1-1) shines on the Saratoga track. He won his maiden race by a whopping 11.25 lengths in 2023 and followed that up with wins in the G2 Jim Dandy and G1 Travers at last year's meet. Fierceness is the speediest horse in the field. He recorded a 111 Beyer in his win at the Travers and a second-place finish at the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic last year.
🏇 Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes, 4:47 p.m. ET post time
Six horses on a 1-mile dirt track for 3-year-olds with a $300K purse.
The race got moved from the inner turf to the dirt due to rain, affecting several horses, including my favorite, #1 Zulu Kingdom. I'm going with #9 Noble Confessor (12-1), who edged out Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Aqueduct last summer. Noble Confessor has tactical speed and has run twice on the Saratoga dirt. Trainer Todd Pletcher believes Noble Confessor is ready for another graded stakes shot.
🏇 Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes, 5:28 p.m. ET post time
Ten horses on a 7-furlong dirt track for 3-year-olds with a $500K purse.
Trained by Saratoga native, Chad Brown, #10 Chancer McPatrick (4-1) has won both starts at Saratoga, including his maiden race last summer and the G1 Hopeful at seven furlongs on this track two months later. He's competed in five consecutive graded stakes races and favors the shorter distance. I'm pairing McPatrick with #3 Macho Music (8-1), who has won his last two starts, including his race at Churchill Downs last month. Early speed runs better on sloppy tracks at Saratoga, and Macho Music has the second-fastest early speed in the field.
🏇 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, 7:04 p.m. ET post time
Eight horses on a 1.25-mile dirt track for 3-year-olds with a $2m purse.
It'll be tough to beat the two favorites, #2 Sovereignty and #7 Journalism. But #6 Baeza (4-1) has run faster in all five races, including a 102 Beyer in a third at the Kentucky Derby, and 101 is the average winning speed of the past 20 Belmont Stakes. He nearly caught up to Sovereignty and Journalism during the Kentucky Derby and can handle a sloppy track.
#1 Hill Road is the dark horse in the race, with a powerful jockey (Irad Ortiz) and trainer (Brown) combo. Ortiz has won the top jockey award at Saratoga's summer meet six times, including three in a row. Brown reigns as the trainer of the year at Saratoga.
Follow me on Instagram @Geoffery-Clark for more betting content and random rants. Good luck, and bet responsibly!🤞🤔💰🔥🚀💥🏇🏆🏎️🐎💨🌈🌟🚀🚀🚀✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸💰🔥🚀💥🌈🌟🚀🚀🚀✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨🌈🌟✨🌟✨🌈🐎🏇🏆🏎️💨💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫💫🚀🌠🦄💰🔥🌟✨🌈🦄🚀🌠💫🌕💥🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🐾🐴🐎🐐🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🐴🐎🐾🐐🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🐾🐴🐎🐐🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🐴🐎🐾🐐🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🐾🐴🐎🐐🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🐴🐎🐾🐐🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌕💰🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝💰🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑💰💰💰💰💰💸💸💸💸💸💸🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🐾🐴🐎🐐🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🎠🐴🐎🐾🐐🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌟✨🌈🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌕💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💨🌕🛠️🔩
- Despite the rain, betting on races is an all-weather activity, and the Belmont Stakes Day offers several opportunities, like the $25 to Win on #1 Fierceness in Race 8.
- In the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes, the rain-affected race, there's a long-shot pick, #9 Noble Confessor, who edged out Zulu Kingdom in the Grade 2 Pilgrim at Aqueduct last summer.
- For the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, the odds may favor #2 Sovereignty and #7 Journalism, but #6 Baeza, who ran faster in all five races, including a 102 Beyer in a third at the Kentucky Derby, could surprise with a 101 being the average winning speed of the past 20 Belmont Stakes.
