Inside the Numbers: Belmont Stakes

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire

Belmont Park … the land of the Belmont Stakes and Triple Crown dreams. Since Affirmed’s win in the Belmont Stakes, securing the title of Triple Crown winner, 12 3-year-olds have come to the Belmont Stakes with dreams of the Triple Crown after winning the first two legs but none has succeeded. California Chrome looks to break the 36-year streak on June 7, but before you watch the Belmont make sure you have all of the facts about the race to impress your friends with your racing knowledge.

1 - The number of female jockeys who have won the Belmont Stakes; Julie Krone became the first woman to win a Triple Crown race when she rode Colonial Affair to victory in the 125th running of the Belmont Stakes in 1993.
1 – The post-position with the most wins in the Belmont Stakes since 1905 (23 wins).
1 ½ - The distance in miles of the Belmont Stakes.
2 – The number of geldings to win the Belmont Stakes (Crème Fraiche, 1985 and Ruler on Ice, 2011).
2 – The number of Grammy Awards and also the number of MTV Music Awards won by LL Cool J, the headline act for the 2014 Belmont Stakes.
2:24 - Minutes and seconds of the fastest Belmont Stakes time for a 1 ½-mile race, won by Secretariat in 1973 (also a world record).
3 – The number of fillies who have won the Belmont Stakes; Ruthless in 1867, Tanya in 1905, and Rags to Riches in 2007.
5th – The fifth running of the Belmont Stakes (1871) produced the first post-parade in the United States.
11 – The number of Thoroughbreds to win the Triple Crown.  The last was won in 1978 by Affirmed.
15 – The largest field for the Belmont Stakes (1983).
20 – The number of times a horse with the first initial of “C” has won the Belmont Stakes, the most popular first initial for winning Belmont Stakes runners.
23 – The number of fillies who have raced in the Belmont Stakes.
25.5% - The percentage of Belmont Stakes which have been run on “off” dirt tracks.  An “off” track is a racing surface that is anything other than Fast (Dirt) or Firm (Turf/Grass).
31 – The largest winning margin, 31 lengths, in the Belmont Stakes. The record was established by Secretariat in 1973.
33 – The number of horses listed at odds-on in the Belmont Stakes since pari-mutuel betting came to New York.
42% - The percentage of betting favorites who have won the Belmont Stakes.
55 – The number of bay-colored horses to win the Belmont Stakes.
700+ – The number of white carnations, which adorn the blanket worn by the Belmont Stakes winner.
$142.50 – The highest-priced winner of the Belmont Stakes, Sarava in 2002.
$1,850 – The purse awarded the winner of the first running of the Belmont Stakes won by the filly, Ruthless.
1867 – The year of the first running of the Belmont Stakes. It is the oldest of the Triple Crown events.
1921 – The year in which the Belmont Stakes was first run in the counter-clockwise direction. Previous races had been run clockwise, in accordance with English custom.
120,139 – The record attendance at the Belmont Stakes, which occurred during the 2004 edition when Smarty Jones was attempting to win the Triple Crown.
$1,764,800 – The richest purse awarded in the Belmont Stakes, 1992, when A.P. Indy won.
$4,981,840 – The record total wagered on track at the Belmont Stakes (2012).