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Belmont Stakes Day Generates More Than $116M In Handle

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Edited Press Release

Saturday’s blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day program, highlighted by Golden Tempo’s victory in the 158th running of the GI $2-million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, generated all-sources handle of $116,077,378 and paid attendance of 46,128.

On-track handle for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included six elite-level races among seven graded stakes, was $13,416,742.

All-sources handle for the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets alone, which was carded as race 13, was $50,876,383.

As the television home of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, FOX Sports presented wall-to-wall coverage of Belmont Stakes Day.

With a new and re-imagined Belmont Park scheduled to open Sept. 18, the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets will return to its Long Island home in 2027. The event was temporarily shifted to Saratoga from 2024-26.

The post Belmont Stakes Day Generates More Than $116M In Handle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Velazquez Gives Golden Tempo His Due After Belmont

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Just about a half hour after the fact, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez gave ‘TDN Rising Star’ presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin) his flowers.

At the age of 54, Johnny V. seems to get better as he ages and when he sees a performance worthy of some praise, he’ll give it. Even if he is on the wrong side of the result.

That was the case early Saturday evening at Saratoga Race Course following the 158th running of the GI $2-million Belmont Stakes. Velazquez, riding GI Florida Derby champion Commandment (Into Mischief) for the first time, was flawless in the irons. Good enough to beat everyone in the 1 1/4-mile Classic except one.

Golden Tempo and jockey Jose Ortiz outkicked Commandment and beat him to the wire in the final leg of the Triple Crown.

The margin of defeat was 1 1/4 lengths and Velazquez just shrugged his shoulders as he stood outside the jockey’s room awaiting to ride the 14th race on the marathon Saturday card. He did everything he could to win the 13th; he was just beaten by a better horse.

And he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

“He put up a good fight,” he said of Commandment, “By the sixteenth pole, [Golden Tempo] got away from me. He was just a little bit better.”

Velazquez has ridden horses for Golden Tempo’s trainer Cherie DeVaux–who became the first woman to win two Triple Crown races–and respects her work in the game.

“Got to be happy for a young trainer who is doing what she is doing,” Velazquez said. “She deserves it.”

Going into the Belmont Week, Golden Tempo was virtually ignored by handicappers picking the final leg of the Triple Crown. Even though Golden Tempo was the owner of the biggest race on American soil–the GI Kentucky Derby–he was given hardly a sniff.

Maybe it was because he had won the Derby at 23-1 odds. Maybe it was because there was an expected lack of early pace in the Belmont, something Golden Tempo showed he needed to rev up his devastating late run in Louisville.

Velazquez did not include himself in the field of non-believers.

“I don’t know why,” he said when the lack of respect for Golden Tempo was suggested. “The horse won the Kentucky Derby. It doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”

Brad Cox, Commandment’s trainer, was pleased with how his horse rebounded from his not horrible, but not great seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He, too, had nothing but nice things to say about Golden Tempo.

“Absolutely,” he said as he tried to navigate his way out of the congested winner’s circle, which was filling up with Golden Tempo revelers. “Often times we don’t see a Kentucky Derby winner win another race. It’s big for their team and their horse.”

The Belmont was also big for Commandment, owned by Wathnan Racing. He had gone into the Kentucky Derby as one of the ones but disappointed.

During the winter, he had excelled, winning the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes and the GI Curlin Florida Derby. Both wins were by the narrowest of margins–a neck and a nose–but he did not show the same determined late fight in Louisville.

In the Belmont, Commandment went off as the 6.04-1 fourth choice–Golden Tempo was 6-1–and he made his rival earn it.

“I didn’t fear any of them,” Cox said. “Our horse is good. I felt like we were going to get a big effort out of him, and we did.”

Heading into the stretch, Commandment and Golden Tempo, both racing wide, were on even terms. Golden Tempo was on the inside, Commandment to his outside. For a moment, it looked as though Commandment would go by, but Velazquez knew his rival had more in the tank.

“At the half-mile pole, I was trying to hold him in there, but I could not hold him in there,” Velazquez said. “Once he turned in the lane, (Commandment) ran with him, but the other one was a little bit better.”

The post Velazquez Gives Golden Tempo His Due After Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Belmont Stakes Day Generates More Than $116M In Handle

---

Edited Press Release

Saturday’s blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day program, highlighted by Golden Tempo’s victory in the 158th running of the GI $2-million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, generated all-sources handle of $116,077,378 and paid attendance of 46,128.

On-track handle for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included six elite-level races among seven graded stakes, was $13,416,742.

All-sources handle for the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets alone, which was carded as race 13, was $50,876,383.

As the television home of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, FOX Sports presented wall-to-wall coverage of Belmont Stakes Day.

With a new and re-imagined Belmont Park scheduled to open Sept. 18, the Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets will return to its Long Island home in 2027. The event was temporarily shifted to Saratoga from 2024-26.

The post Belmont Stakes Day Generates More Than $116M In Handle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Velazquez Gives Golden Tempo His Due After Belmont

---

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Just about a half hour after the fact, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez gave ‘TDN Rising Star’ presented by Hagyard Golden Tempo (Curlin) his flowers.

At the age of 54, Johnny V. seems to get better as he ages and when he sees a performance worthy of some praise, he’ll give it. Even if he is on the wrong side of the result.

That was the case early Saturday evening at Saratoga Race Course following the 158th running of the GI $2-million Belmont Stakes. Velazquez, riding GI Florida Derby champion Commandment (Into Mischief) for the first time, was flawless in the irons. Good enough to beat everyone in the 1 1/4-mile Classic except one.

Golden Tempo and jockey Jose Ortiz outkicked Commandment and beat him to the wire in the final leg of the Triple Crown.

The margin of defeat was 1 1/4 lengths and Velazquez just shrugged his shoulders as he stood outside the jockey’s room awaiting to ride the 14th race on the marathon Saturday card. He did everything he could to win the 13th; he was just beaten by a better horse.

And he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

“He put up a good fight,” he said of Commandment, “By the sixteenth pole, [Golden Tempo] got away from me. He was just a little bit better.”

Velazquez has ridden horses for Golden Tempo’s trainer Cherie DeVaux–who became the first woman to win two Triple Crown races–and respects her work in the game.

“Got to be happy for a young trainer who is doing what she is doing,” Velazquez said. “She deserves it.”

Going into the Belmont Week, Golden Tempo was virtually ignored by handicappers picking the final leg of the Triple Crown. Even though Golden Tempo was the owner of the biggest race on American soil–the GI Kentucky Derby–he was given hardly a sniff.

Maybe it was because he had won the Derby at 23-1 odds. Maybe it was because there was an expected lack of early pace in the Belmont, something Golden Tempo showed he needed to rev up his devastating late run in Louisville.

Velazquez did not include himself in the field of non-believers.

“I don’t know why,” he said when the lack of respect for Golden Tempo was suggested. “The horse won the Kentucky Derby. It doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”

Brad Cox, Commandment’s trainer, was pleased with how his horse rebounded from his not horrible, but not great seventh-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He, too, had nothing but nice things to say about Golden Tempo.

“Absolutely,” he said as he tried to navigate his way out of the congested winner’s circle, which was filling up with Golden Tempo revelers. “Often times we don’t see a Kentucky Derby winner win another race. It’s big for their team and their horse.”

The Belmont was also big for Commandment, owned by Wathnan Racing. He had gone into the Kentucky Derby as one of the ones but disappointed.

During the winter, he had excelled, winning the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes and the GI Curlin Florida Derby. Both wins were by the narrowest of margins–a neck and a nose–but he did not show the same determined late fight in Louisville.

In the Belmont, Commandment went off as the 6.04-1 fourth choice–Golden Tempo was 6-1–and he made his rival earn it.

“I didn’t fear any of them,” Cox said. “Our horse is good. I felt like we were going to get a big effort out of him, and we did.”

Heading into the stretch, Commandment and Golden Tempo, both racing wide, were on even terms. Golden Tempo was on the inside, Commandment to his outside. For a moment, it looked as though Commandment would go by, but Velazquez knew his rival had more in the tank.

“At the half-mile pole, I was trying to hold him in there, but I could not hold him in there,” Velazquez said. “Once he turned in the lane, (Commandment) ran with him, but the other one was a little bit better.”

The post Velazquez Gives Golden Tempo His Due After Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.