How Long Is the Belmont Stakes? (How Many Miles and How Much Time Will It Take In 2024?)

The 2024 Belmont Stakes is set to take place on Saturday, June 8th, 2024 with an estimated post time of 6:41pm ET. The 156th running of the event will happen at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The Belmont Stakes is the third and final jewel of the Triple Crown following the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. The Run for the Carnations is thus one of the biggest and most important horse races of the year.

While there is considerable build-up and hype around the Belmont Stakes, the event itself doesn’t last very long. Here’s everything you need to know about how long the race is.

Where Is the Belmont Stakes in 2024?

The Belmont Stakes usually takes place at the Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The race has been moved to Saratoga Race Course for 2024 and 2025 as Belmont Park is under renovation.

Saratoga is located about 3 hours north of Belmont Park in New York.

The Saratoga Race Course has a one-mile main track instead of a 1.5-mile oval in Belmont Park, which is why the race will be shorter in 2024 and 2025.

What Is the Distance of the Belmont Stakes?

This year’s Belmont Stakes will be shorter than usual, since it is being run at Saratoga Race Course. The 2024 Run for the Carnations will be 10 furlongs, or 1 1/4 miles long.

The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park is usually 12 furlongs, which equates to 1 1/2 miles. This usually makes it the longest race of the Triple Crown in terms of distance, as the Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs (1 1/4 miles) and the Preakness Stakes is 9.5 furlongs (1 3/16 miles). But, this year, the Belmont Stakes is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby.

How Much Time Does the Belmont Stakes Take?

The Belmont Stakes usually takes around 2 1/2 minutes. Although, considering the shorter distance this year, we can expect it to be quicker.

The Kentucky Derby—which is the same distance as this year’s Belmont Stakes—typically lasts a little more than 2 minutes. The record for the current length of 1 1/2 miles is 2:24, which was set by Triple Crown winner Secretariat in 1973.

It’s also worth noting that the race isn’t officially over until the final horse crosses the finish line, which usually happens a few seconds after the winner finishes.

How Long Is a Furlong?

A furlong is 1/8 of a mile, which breaks out to be 220 yards or 660 feet. It’s an imperial unit of measurement that originates from farming terms in Old English times, coming from the words furh (furrow) and lang (long). It’s a relatively old form of measurement that was once a standard measure around agricultural fields but is now used almost exclusively in horse racing in the United States.

New to FanDuel Racing? Place your first bet on any race at any track and get it back in Racing Bonus if it doesn’t win! Valid in participating states. See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for more horse racing betting opportunities? Head over to FanDuel Racing to see all of today’s horse racing odds.

Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Hope is here. GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support (MA). Call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 21+ and reside in CO, IL, IN, KY, LA (permitted parishes only), MD, MA, MI, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, WY. Offer valid on first win wager. Verified FD Racing account required. Select Races Only. Refund issued in non-withdrawable Racing site credit that expires 7 days after receipt. See terms at racing.fanduel.com. Offer not available in AZ, CT, IA, KS, NC, NJ, TN, or VT. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, KY, MI, OH, PA, IL, VA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org(MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).