Overview

• The 157th Belmont Stakes is set for June 7 at Saratoga Race Track as Belmont Park undergoes a major renovation.
• Organizers trimmed the distance to 1¼ miles from the traditional 1½-mile test, prompting debate over the race’s legitimacy.
• Journalism enters as a sentimental favorite after powering to victory in the Preakness under trainer Michael McCarthy.
• Sovereignty returns fresh off a Kentucky Derby win and without a Preakness run, casting him as a polarizing figure.
• Bob Baffert’s Rodriguez is expected to set a fast pace, and Baeza has delivered strong prep performances suggesting upset potential.