Gene Menez, who hammered the Kentucky Derby exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout, reveals his 2025 Belmont Stakes bets and 2025 Belmont Stakes betting strategy for Saratoga Race Course

The 1.5-mile race will feature racehorses Sovereignty and Journalism, the winners of the 2025 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, respectively. Journalism had been the odds favorite (4-1) heading into the Derby, while Sovereignty entered the race at 9-1 odds, but Sovereignty gained the edge in the final moments on the muddy Churchill Downs track.

After the Derby win, the Godolphin-owned 3-year-old opted out of the Preakness Stakes to focus on the Belmont, forfeiting a shot at history to win the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown hasn’t been won since 2018, when Bob Baffert’s Justify won the 105th Belmont Stakes to secure the third jewel.