2019 Belmont Stakes
The 2019 Belmont Stakes was the 151st running of the Belmont Stakes and the 108th time the event took place at Belmont Park. The 1+1⁄2-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion", is the final leg in the American Triple Crown, open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Sir Winston won the race, with a time of 2:28.30.
| Belmont Stakes | |
| Grade I stakes race | |
 "The Test of the Champion" | |
| Location | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Date | June 8, 2019 |
| Distance | 1+1⁄2 mi (12 furlongs; 2,414 m) |
| Winning horse | Sir Winston |
| Winning time | 2:28.30[1] |
| Final odds | 10.20 (to 1)[1] |
| Jockey | Joel Rosario |
| Trainer | Mark E. Casse |
| Owner | Tracy Farmer |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Attendance | 56,217[2] |
The race took place on June 8, 2019, in Elmont, New York, with post time scheduled for 6:37 p.m. ET. It was a Grade I stakes race with a purse of $1.5 million, broadcast on NBC with coverage of the undercard on NBCSN.[3] There was no chance of a Triple Crown winner, as Kentucky Derby winner Country House did not run in the Preakness Stakes, due to his trainer detecting a virus.[4]
Field
Following the Preakness, likely contenders for the Belmont were:[5][6]
- War of Will – winner of the Preakness, seventh in the Kentucky Derby
- Tacitus – third in the Kentucky Derby, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby and Wood Memorial Stakes
- Everfast – second in the Preakness
- Bourbon War – eighth in the Preakness
- Sir Winston – second in the Peter Pan Stakes
- Intrepid Heart – third in the Peter Pan
- Master Fencer – sixth in the Kentucky Derby
- Tax – 14th in the Kentucky Derby, second in the Wood Memorial
- Spinoff – 18th in the Kentucky Derby
- Joevia – winner of the Long Branch Stakes
Results
The post position draw was held on June 4 at Citi Field, prior to that day's New York Mets game.[7][8]
| Finish | PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Record† | Morning line odds |
Final odds | Margin (lengths) |
Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Sir Winston | Joel Rosario | Mark E. Casse | 9–2–1–1 | 12–1 | 10.20 | — | $800,000 |
| 2 | 10 | Tacitus | José Ortiz | William I. Mott | 5–3–0–1 | 9–5 | 1.95 | 1 | $280,000 |
| 3 | 1 | Joevia | Jose Lezcano | Greg Sacco | 5–2–2–0 | 30–1 | 21.60 | 4+3⁄4 | $150,000 |
| 4 | 4 | Tax | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Danny Gargan | 6–2–2–1 | 15–1 | 11.70 | 5+3⁄4 | $100,000 |
| 5 | 3 | Master Fencer | Julien Leparoux | Koichi Tsunoda | 7–2–2–0 | 8–1 | 13.30 | 5+3⁄4 | $60,000 |
| 6 | 6 | Spinoff | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | 5–2–1–1 | 15–1 | 10.40 | 6 | $45,000 |
| 7 | 2 | Everfast | Luis Saez | Dale Romans | 11–1–2–1 | 12–1 | 16.50 | 6 | $35,000 |
| 8 | 8 | Intrepid Heart | John R. Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 3–2–0–1 | 10–1 | 6.90 | 7+3⁄4 | $30,000 |
| 9 | 9 | War of Will | Tyler Gaffalione | Mark E. Casse | 10–4–1–1 | 2–1 | 3.65 | 10 | |
| 10 | 5 | Bourbon War | Mike E. Smith | Mark Hennig | 6–2–1–0 | 12–1 | 10.00 | 14+3⁄4 |
† Starts–Wins–Places–Shows, prior to the Belmont[9]
Track: Fast
Times: 1⁄4 mile – 23.92; 1⁄2 mile – 48.79; 3⁄4 mile – 1:13.54; mile – 1:38.27; 1+1⁄4 miles – 2:02.72; final – 2:28.30.
Splits for each quarter-mile: (23.92) (24.87) (24.75) (24.73) (24.45) (25.58)
Source: Equibase Chart[1]
Payouts
| Program number |
Horse name | Win | Place | Show |
| 7 | Sir Winston | $22.40 | $8.80 | $6.10 |
| 10 | Tacitus | – | $3.90 | $3.20 |
| 1 | Joevia | – | – | $8.70 |
- $1 Exacta: (7-10) $48.00
- $1 Trifecta: (7-10-1) $1,244.00
- $1 Superfecta: (7-10-1-4) $10,428.00
Wagering
Wagering on the Belmont Stakes day totaled US$102.2 million, including US$53.2 million on the Belmont Stakes race, and the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival had a total wagering handle of US$131.9 million. NYRA said it was the highest for an edition with no Triple Crown candidate; the 2018 Belmont Stakes day had a wagering handle of US$138.0 million.[11]
References
- "Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets". equibase.com. June 8, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- Shields, Emily (June 8, 2019). "10-1 Sir Winston Takes the Belmont Stakes". tvg.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- "TV Schedule". belmontstakes.com. 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
- Mitchell, Eric (May 7, 2019). "Kentucky Derby Winner Country House to Miss Preakness with Illness". americasbestracing.net. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
- "Field Of Nine, Led By Tacitus, War Of Will, Shaping Up For Belmont Stakes". paulickreport.com. May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- "'Sharp' Bourbon War To Remove Blinkers, Start In Belmont Stakes". paulickreport.com. May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
- "Belmont Stakes Post Position Draw to be Held at Citi Field". thoroughbreddailynews.com. May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- Frakes, Jason (June 4, 2019). "Check out the 2019 Belmont post positions, draw, jockeys and odds". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
- Reed, Patrick (June 2, 2019). "2019 Belmont Stakes Cheat Sheet". americasbestracing.net. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
- Manahan, Kevin (June 8, 2019). "Belmont results: Who won Belmont Stakes? Win, place, show payoffs". nj.com. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- NYRA Reports Record Handle for Non-Triple Crown Belmont – BloodHorse, 8 June 2019