2025 Belmont Stakes: Rain clearing, but muddy track conditions to remain

The 2025 Belmont Stakes is being impacted by stormy weather around Saratoga Race Course on Saturday morning.

The skies are set to clear and conditions are likely to improve in Saratoga Springs, New York after a morning of rain, but muddy conditions could remain on the track for Saturday evening’s race, according to The Weather Channel.

Nearly 1.5 inches of rain fell from Friday at midnight to Saturday at noon ahead of the race, according to a weather station in Saratoga Springs, which could contribute to muddy track conditions. 

The race day schedule has already been altered, with the Belmont Stakes sharing on social media that four races have already been moved off the turf to the main track — Races 3, 6, 10 and 14.

Sunshine will become more frequent throughout the day, with temperatures in the low 70s at race time (7:04 p.m. ET).

Saratoga Springs is not under any significant weather alerts as of Saturday afternoon, but there is a flash flood warning nearby in Albany, New York, which is roughly 35 miles away.

[MORE: Belmont Stakes winners: Complete list by year]

Journalism (+160) is the slight favorite over Sovereignty (+200) for the 157th Belmont Stakes — the third and final leg of the Triple Crown — per DraftKings Sportsbook. Baeza (+400), Rodriguez (+600), Hill Road (+1000), Crudo (+1500), Heart of Honor (+3000) and Uncaged (+3000) round out the field.

[MORE: Sovereignty, Journalism, Baeza are ‘top tier’ in crop of Belmont Stakes horses]

Sovereignty won a rainy and muddy 151st Kentucky Derby last month on May 3, outlasting 3-1 favorite Journalism. It was 58 degrees and cloudy, and a downpour of rain made for murky conditions at Churchill Downs. 

Journalism dug out a victory in the 150th Preakness Stakes a few weeks later on May 17 at the old Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland for the last time before it’s torn down and rebuilt. There were less-than-perfect conditions leading up to the race, but things turned around in time for the big event. It was a sunny to partly cloudy day, with the race running under mostly clear and warm conditions.

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