Belmont Stakes by the numbers

Preakness S. (G1) winner Rombauer will attempt to claim the third and final leg of the Triple Crown when he competes among a field of eight horses at the 2021 Belmont S. (G1), set for Saturday, June 5.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Rombauer could become the 19th horse to win both the Preakness and Belmont but not the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Also entered into the 2021 field is Belmont morning-line favorite Essential Quality (2-1), who finished fourth in the Run for the Roses, along with Kentucky Derby contenders Rock Your World (9-2), Known Agenda (6-1), Bourbonic (15-1), and Hot Rod Charlie (7-2).

To get you ready for horse racing's "Test of the Champion," check out these fast facts and figures, as we take a look at the 2021 Belmont Stakes by the numbers.

1 1/2

The distance, in miles, of the Belmont, a Grade 1 stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

2:24

The 1 1/2-mile stakes record, and North American record on dirt, set by Secretariat at the Belmont in 1973. Secretariat's son, Risen Star, won the 1988 Belmont S. in 2:26.40, then the second-fastest winning time. A year later, Easy Goer, ridden by Pat Day, narrowly beat Risen Star's time when he crossed the finish line in 2:26.

3

The number of horses in the 2021 Belmont field trained by Todd Pletcher, a three-time Belmont winner. Two of Pletcher's horses (Bourbonic and Known Agenda) also ran in the Kentucky Derby. His third entry, Overtook, finished third in his most recent race, the Peter Pan S. (G3) at Belmont Park in early May.

3-5

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah's morning-line odds ahead of the 2015 Belmont. With his victory, a $2 win bet paid $3.50, the smallest payout in the past decade. In 2021, Essential Quality is the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Preakness winner Rombauer is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line.

6

The record for most Belmont victories by a jockey, achieved by both Jim McLaughlin (1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, and 1888) and Eddie Arcaro (1941, 1942, 1945, 1948, 1952, and 1955). Among the jockeys competing in this year's race, Joel Rosario (Rock Your World) won twice in the past decade, with Sir Winston in 2019 and Tonalist in 2014. Rombauer's jockey, John Velazquez, has also won the Belmont twice, aboard Union Rags in 2012 and Rags to Riches in 2007.

6:49

Post time for the 2021 Belmont is set for approximately 6:49 p.m. ET Saturday, June 5. NBC Sports will provide live coverage from 3-5 p.m. ET on NBCSN and from 5-7 p.m. ET on NBC.

13

The number of horses who have achieved the Triple Crown. Twenty-three horses have won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but fell short of a Triple Crown in the Belmont. Eight of those horses finished second at Belmont Park, including Smarty Jones, most recently in 2004. Three Derby and Preakness winners did not run the Belmont — Burgoo King (1932), Bold Venture (1933), and I'll Have Another (2012).

14

The number of Belmont winners who sired at least one Belmont victor. Man o' War (1920) sired three — American Flag (1925), Crusader (1926), and Triple Crown winner War Admiral (1937). A.P. Indy, who won the 1992 Belmont, is the grandsire of Bourbonic and and the damsire of Overtook.

23

The number of winners post position 1 has produced in the Belmont. Post 3 and post 5 are tied with the next most victories (13), followed by post 2 and post 7, each with 11.

31

The record for largest margin of victory was set by Secretariat in 1973, when the chestnut colt defeated second-place finisher Twice a Prince by 31 lengths. Prior to Secretariat's commanding run, Triple Crown winner Count Fleet bested second-place runner Fairy Manhurst by a then-record 25 lengths in the 1943 Belmont.

57

The number of bay horses who have won the Belmont, followed by 56 chestnut Thoroughbreds. Dark bay or brown horses have crossed the finish line first 33 times in the history of the race, while gray or roan horses own five victories.

70-1

In 2002, lightly raced Sarava, at 70-1 odds, upset War Emblem's Triple Crown bid and became the biggest longshot winner of the Belmont. The payout for a $2 win bet on Sarava was $142.50. Ruler on Ice, at 20-1, is the greatest upset win of the past decade. A $2 win bet on the chestnut gelding paid $51.50 in 2011.