Dornoch surprised everyone by winning the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.
In a loaded field, the horse’s odds of 17-1 were not favorable. The triumph marks jockey Luis Saez’s second Belmont Stakes victory and trainer Danny Gargan’s first.
Despite the colt’s previous dismal performances, Dornoch’s crew was not ready to give up on him.
“No one believed in this horse,” trainer Gargan told Fox Sports during the post-race show. “The final two races are throw-outs. I encouraged Luis, “Run your race; nobody will beat you.”
In April’s Blue Grass race, the horse appeared to be the one to beat but finished fourth after losing to the other contender, Sierra Leone.
The following month, in the Kentucky Derby, the horse started at a disadvantage by drawing the No. 1 post position, finishing in the middle of the pack in 10th place.
“When I rode this horse at Saratoga last year, I told Danny he had the Derby winner,” Saez recalled. “Unfortunately, the Derby is a crazy race, but we had a good trip today.”
Sierra Leone, who finished second in this year’s Kentucky Derby, was the pre-race favorite, followed by Preakness winner Seize the Grey and Mindframe, according to Fan Duel Sportsbook odds.
A changed stakes
The last leg of the Triple Crown looked a little different this year.
For starters, the Belmont Stakes were relocated to the Saratoga racing track, more than three hours north of its regular location at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The historic Elmont racetrack is getting a near-half-billion-dollar refurbishment and will welcome back the horse race in 2026.
In addition, the purse had increased from $1.5 million last year to $2 million.
After the prize money is divided among the top finishers, the first-place winner will get around $1.2 million.
The race was also shortened by one quarter mile. The Belmont Stakes, which is usually the longest of the Triple Crown events at 1 1/2 miles, was this year the same distance as the Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles due to the track’s shape.
