Florida Panthers owner Vinnie Viola now has two Triple Crown race victories to go with his two Stanley Cups as Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo again rallied from last and won the 158th Belmont Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Saratoga Race Course. Viola, of St. Elias Stable, dedicated the win in the Belmont and Deterministic’s victory in the Manhattan Stakes earlier in the day to lifelong friend Dominic DiPrisco, who died days earlier from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Viola: “We grew up on the same block since we were 4 years old … I said my prayers this morning, I asked Dominic to help with the horse, in which I knew he would, and he will be deeply, deeply missed" (BLOODHORSE, 6/6).
Trainer Cherie DeVaux became the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races. She was the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner and is the second in four years to win the Belmont. (Jena Antonucci, with Arcangelo in 2023.) DeVaux: “It’s history-making, and I’ve kind of shied away from it, but I’m really grateful that I am that person” (BALTIMORE SUN, 6/6).
The Belmont saw $116,077,378 in all-sources handle on its 14-race card. That figure was up 14% from the $101,861,883 wagered last year on 12 races. The attendance of 46,128 was only slightly below last year’s announced crowd of 46,243. The race returns to Belmont Park next year following renovations. On-track handle for the card, which included six grade 1 races, was $13,416,742, up 29% from the $10,440,740 in 2025. All-sources handle for the Belmont Stakes itself was $50,876,383, a dip of 8% from last year’s $55,456,793 (BLOODHORSE, 6/6).
Single-race betting on the Belmont of $42.5M declined 20.9% ($11.3M) compared to single-race betting last year. The number “reflected new policies in place at tracks operated by the New York Racing Association to restrict the play of computer-assisted wagering groups” (DAILY RACING FORM, 6/6).
