Belmont Park, with its large, wide, sweeping turns and long homestretch, is considered one of the fairest racetracks in America.

The 2004 Belmont Stakes drew a television audience of 21.9 million viewers, and had the highest household viewing rate since 1977 when Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown.

[7] When anti-gambling legislation was passed in New York State, Belmont Racetrack was closed, and the race was cancelled in 1911 and 1912.

In 1937, War Admiral became the fourth Triple Crown winner after winning the Belmont in a new track record time of 2:28 3/5.

In 1957, the stakes record was smashed when Gallant Man ran the Belmont in 2:26 3/5 in a year when the Triple Crown series was split three ways.

The largest crowd of the 20th century was in 1971 with over 80,000 people, supplemented by the city's Latino community, there to cheer on their new hero, Cañonero II, the Venezuelan colt who had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and was poised to win the U.S.

However, due to a foot infection that had bothered the horse for several days, Cañonero II failed to win the Triple Crown when he struggled across the finish line in 4th place behind Pass Catcher, ridden by Walter Blum.

Despite this loss, Cañonero II was named the winner of the first Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Male Horse.

Ridden by eighteen-year-old Steve Cauthen, Affirmed defeated rival Alydar with Jorge Velásquez in the saddle.

In 2002, Belmont Park hosted what was then the largest crowd in its history when 103,222 saw War Emblem lose to longshot Sarava after stumbling at the start.

Three more failed Triple Crown bids followed: in 2008, Big Brown lost to Da' Tara; in 2012, I'll Have Another was withdrawn due to injury; and in 2014, California Chrome was beaten by Tonalist.

Leading to the announcement, NYRA considered various dates after evaluating the spring-summer meeting at Belmont Park and after the other three majors set their respective dates: the Kentucky Derby moving to September 5, the Preakness Stakes moving to October 3, and the Breeders' Cup Classic slated for November 7.

[28] The 2020 contest also marked the first time in history that the Belmont Stakes served as the Triple Crown's opening leg, with its running length shortened accordingly to 1+1⁄8 miles (9 furlongs),[29] its shortest distance since 1894.

Mo Donegal was trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. On December 6, 2023, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the 2024 Belmont Stakes would be held on Saturday, June 8 at Saratoga Race Course because of ongoing construction and renovations at Belmont Park.

[31][32] In March 2024 the New York Racing Association announced that the 2025 Belmont Stakes would also be moved to Saratoga, pending regulatory approval.

[33] Over the years the race has been held at the following racetracks: The Belmont Stakes has been run at a mile and a half from 1874 to 1889 and 1926 to the present.

Additionally, the distance of the Belmont Stakes has been changed during the race's temporary relocation to Saratoga in 2024 and 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

The purse increased sharply in the Roaring Twenties, from Man O'War's earnings of $7,950 in 1920 to Gallant Fox's take of $66,040 in 1930.

The winning owner is ceremonially presented with the silver winner's trophy, designed by Paulding Farnham for Tiffany and Co.

[7] The change of song gave rise to "the myth of Mamie O'Rourke", a reference to a character in the lyrics of "The Sidewalks of New York."

"[40] The New York Times reviewed both cocktails unfavorably, calling the Belmont Breeze "a significant improvement over the nigh undrinkable White Carnation" despite the fact that it "tastes like a refined trashcan punch".

It takes approximately 700 "select" carnations imported from Colombia to create the 40-pound blanket draped over the winner of the Belmont Stakes.

The NYRA has long used The Pennock Company, a wholesale florist based in Philadelphia to import the carnations used for the mantle.

The last filly as of June 11, 2022 to run in the Belmont was in 2022 when Nest ran second (placed) behind the winner her stable mate Mo Donegal.