There won’t be a Triple Crown winner this year, but the 2025 Belmont Stakes will still be must-see TV thanks to a highly-anticipated rematch between Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty and Preakness Stakes winner Journalism. The Belmont Stakes 2025 will also feature entries from legendary trainers like Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher, with an eight-horse 2025 Belmont Stakes field. Journalism is the 8-5 favorite in the 2025 Belmont Stakes odds after erasing a five-length deficit in the final furlong to win at Pimlico, while Sovereignty is 2-1 despite outrunning Journalism for the win at Churchill Downs.
They’re followed in the 2025 Belmont Stakes betting odds by third-place Derby finisher Baeza (4-1), Wood Memorial winner Rodriguez (6-1) and Peter Pan Stakes winner Hill Road (10-1). SportsLine’s horse racing experts are breaking down the Belmont Stakes 2025 from all angles ahead of Saturday’s 7:04 p.m. ET post time.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Jody Demling hit the top three finishers in the Kentucky Derby in the correct order and then nailed the Preakness exacta to start this Triple Crown season. He’s also hit predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes in four of the last seven years. Anyone who has followed those picks on sites like FanDuel Racing and TwinSpires is up huge. You can see Demling’s full projected leaderboard at SportsLine.
Here are the top Belmont Stakes longshots to target, according to Demling:
Rodriguez (6-1)
Sired by 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic out of Cherokee Run mare Cayala, Rodriguez debuted late in his two-year-old season with a second-place finish at Del Mar and then broke his maiden just over a month later to begin his three-year-old season at Santa Anita. He’d go on to finish second at the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) and then third at the San Felipe Stakes (G2) before shipping across the country to finally earn a stakes win at the Wood Memorial (G2).
In that race, Rodriguez went wire-to-wire for the victory and earn a spot in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. However, he was eventually scratched from that race with a minor foot injury and then scratched again from the Preakness before finally earning a clean bill of health this week. He’s likely to go to the front again and he’s got the most experienced connections in the field, with trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith both winning the Belmont Stakes three times in their hall-of-fame careers. He’s a live longshot and you can also add some insurance with this FanDuel Racing promo code offering a $500 no sweat bet to first-time users. He’s a live longshot and you can also boost your bankroll with this FanDuel Racing promo code.
Crudo (15-1)
Owned by celebrity chef Bobby Flay and trained by four-time Belmont Stakes winner Todd Pletcher, Crudo only began his racing career in February but he’s already generating plenty of buzz. After finishing fourth in his debut at Gulfstream Park, the son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify won a seven-furlong maiden race at Keeneland by 7 1/4 lengths and then produced another dominant victory on the undercard at the Preakness Stakes.
He faced some early pressure on the pace in the 2025 Spendthrift Farms Sir Barton Stakes but kicked it into high gear and pulled away for a 7 1/2-length victory. He’ll be guided by hall-of-fame jockey John Velazquez, who is a two-time Belmont Stakes winner and is the all-time leader in career earnings for the sport with nearly $500 million in winnings. Demling says Crudo has a shot to run a big race and you can also add up to $400 in bonus funds now with the latest TwinSpires promo code. You can add even more value with this TwinSpires promo code.
How to make 2025 Belmont Stakes picks, bets
Demling’s top pick is an underdog who could be “the best value in the race.” Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2025 Belmont Stakes leaderboard and betting tickets, over at SportsLine.
SportsLine also has Belmont Stakes 2025 picks from long-time horse racing journalist Gene Menez. You can also find horse racing predictions for Journalism and Sovereignty in a rematch that could determine horse of the year honors.
Best Belmont Stakes betting promos
Here are several places to bet on the Belmont Stakes.
