The Belmont Stakes, first run in 1867, is the oldest of the Triple Crown events. It predates the Preakness Stakes (first run in 1873) by six years and the Kentucky Derby (first run in 1875) by eight.
First run in 1867, it is one of the oldest stakes races in North America. The Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland was first run in 1831, the Queens Plate in Canada had its inaugural in 1860, and the Travers started at Saratoga in 1864. However, the Belmont, which will be run for the 144th time in 2012, is third to the Phoenix (160th running in 2012) and Queens Plate (153rd running in 2012) in total runnings. The Travers has had gaps in its history and its 143rd running will be in 2012.
In 1890, the Belmont, named for August Belmont I, was moved from Jerome Park to Morris Park, a 1 3/8-mile track once located a few miles east of what is now Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx. The Belmont Stakes was run at Morris Park until Belmont Park opened in 1905.
Secretariat set a world record for 1 1/2 miles on the dirt when he won the 1973 Belmont in 2:24. Secretariat also holds the fastest 1/2 mile, 3/4 mile, 1 mile and 1 1/4-mile fractions in Belmont history.
The August Belmont Memorial Cup is a solid silver bowl and cover made by Tiffany & Co. It is 18 inches tall, 15 inches across and 14 inches at the base. Atop the cover is a silver figure of 1869 Belmont winner Fenian. The bowl is supported by three horses – Herod, Eclipse and Matchem – who represent the respective superior male-line descendants of the three foundation sires of thoroughbreds: the Byerly Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Barb. Of these, the Eclipse lineage is predominant in the modern thoroughbred.
The trophy was presented by the Belmont family as a perpetual award for the Belmont Stakes in 1926. It was the trophy August Belmont received when Fenian won the third running and it had since remained with the Belmont family. The winning owner may keep the trophy for a year until the next Belmont winner is crowned. The winning owner, trainer, and jockey also receive a silver miniature of the August Belmont Memorial Cup.
?New York, New York?, written by John Kander and Fred Ebb, was performed as the field for the Belmont Stakes made its way to the starting gate from 1997-2009 and in 2011. ?Sidewalks of New York? was performed prior to 1997. In 2010, ?Empire State of Mind? was performed.
The white carnation is the traditional flower of the Belmont Stakes. The blanket of carnations worn by the Belmont Stakes winner takes five hours to create on the day of the race. More than 700 select carnations from Colombia are glued by hand onto a green velveteen spread. A similar, smaller blanket is created to adorn the statue of Secretariat in the paddock.
THE 11 TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS
Year ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Horse ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? Owner??????????????????????? Jockey????????????????????? Trainer
1919???????????????? Sir Barton ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? J.K.L. Ross??????????????? John Loftus????????????? H. G. Bedwell
1930??????????????? Gallant Fox?????????????????? Belair Stud??????????????? Earl Sande??????????????? J. E. Fitzsimmons
1935??????????????? Omaha?????????????????????????? Belair Stud ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? William Saunders??? J. E. Fitzsimmons
1937??????????????? War Admiral ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Samuel D. Riddle????? Chas. Kurtsinger???? George Conway
1941??????????????? Whirlaway ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Calumet Farm????????? Eddie Arcaro??????????? Ben A. Jones
1943??????????????? Count Fleet?????????????????? Mrs. J. D. Hertz ? ? ?? John Longden????????? Don Cameron
1946 ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Assault?????????????????????????? King Ranch?????????????? Warren Mehrtens??? Max Hirsch
1948??????????????? Citation ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Calumet Farm ? ? ? ?? Eddie Arcaro ? ? ? ? ?? H. A. ?Jimmy? Jones
1973??????????????? Secretariat???????????????????? Meadow Stable??????? Ron Turcotte ? ? ? ? ?? Lucien Laurin
1977??????????????? Seattle Slew?????????????????? Karen L. Taylor?????? Jean Cruguet ? ? ? ? ?? William Turner Jr.
1978?????????????? Affirmed???????????????????????? Harbor View Farm? Steve Cauthen ? ? ? ?? Lazaro Barrera
The BELMONT STAKES TRIPPED UP 19 WHO TRIED FOR THE TRIPLE CROWN
Thirty horses have been eligible to win the Triple Crown coming into the Belmont Stakes and 11 have succeeded.
The following is a list of those who faltered in the Belmont:
Year??????????? ?? Horse???????????????????????? Owner??????????????????????????????????????????????? Winner
1944???????????? Pensive???????????????? ? Calumet Farm????????????? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Bounding Home
1958???????????? Tim Tam??????????????? Calumet Farm????????????? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Cavan
1961???????????? Carry Back???????????? Mrs. Katherine Price?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Sherluck
1964???????????? Northern Dancer?? Windfields Farm???????????????????????????????? Quadrangle
1966???????????? Kauai King????????????? Michael Ford?????????????????????????????????????? Amberoid
1968???????????? Forward Pass???????? Calumet Farm???????????? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Stage Door Johnny
1969???????????? Majestic Prince????? Frank McMahon???????? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? Arts And Letters
1971???????????? Canonero II??????????? Edgard Caibett?????????? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? Pass Catcher
1979???????????? Spectacular Bid????? Hawksworth Farm????? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Coastal
1981???????????? Pleasant Colony???? Buckland Farm????????????????????????????????? ? Summing
1987???????????? Alysheba???????????????? Dorothy & Pamela Scharbauer?????? ? Bet Twice
1989???????????? Sunday Silence ? ??? Arthur Hancock Ill ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Easy Goer
1997???????????? Silver Charm??????? ? Bob & Beverly Lewis????????????????????????? Touch Gold
1998??????????? Real Quiet???????????? ? Michael Pegram?????????????????????????????????? Victory Gallop
1999??????????? Charismatic ? ? ? ? ??? Bob & Beverly Lewis?????????????????????????? Lemon Drop Kid
2002?????????? War Emblem?????????? Ahmed bin Salman????????????????????????????? Sarava
2003?????????? Funny Cide????????????? Sackatoga Stable ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Empire Maker
2004?????????? Smarty Jones ? ? ? ?? Someday Farm ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? Birdstone
2008?????????? Big Brown??????????????? IEAH Stables??????????????????????????????????????? Da’ Tara
