The Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA BETS are the headlining cards for the Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, June 7th. This year’s Belmont Stakes showdown and sovereignty and journalism showdown are equally interesting heavyweight matchups with ferociousness and White Arario in some races early in the Metropolitan Handicap.
Commonly called the Met Mile, the race has been contested for over a century since it first ran at Morris Park in 1891. The location later moved to Belmont Park, with the race date moving to the Belmont Stakes Undercard in 2014. The final three Met Mile winners – Flightline in 2022, Cody Wishes in 2023, National Treasure in 2024 – won the Eclipse Awards as the champion’s older stain man in both flightline and Cody Wish.
1. He appears to have left the day in the rearview mirror as he was thrilled with the TAA, the 2024 Carlin Florida Derby, Saratoga’s 2024 Jim Dandy Stakes, Mohegan Sun and the 2024 Draft King Stories Travers stakes perfect 3-FOR-3-FOR-3-FOR-3-FOR-3-FOR-3-DRAUSTGA, who was troubled by inconsistencies early in his career, but was runner-up in the 2024 Rondaine Breeders Cup classic and turned in four straight outstanding efforts, including a victory at the Grade 2 Aliche Basstakes of his 4-year-old debut N Churchill. It boasts a Hall of Fame connection and is a heart-pounding horse.
Jockey: John Velazquez; trainer: Todd Plecher
2. White Arario (9-5): The 2023 Longines Breaders’ Cup Classic winner has accumulated a long list of achievements that have won stakes in his career, including winning the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga in 2023 while caring for another trainer. He appeared in this race, likely a big victory in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup invitation stake, and was awarded his credits by Funde El Television as the age of six this year in his final victory in the Met Mile Prep race at the Gulfstream third-year Grade 3 Ghost Zapper Stake. He must ward off the ghosts of the Metropolitan Handicap’s final two running after finishing third in the race at Belmont Park in 2023 and fifth in Saratoga in 2024.
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. ; trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
3. Castle Chaos (20-1): He got caught up in a cross at Thursday’s Saratoga allowance race and wasn’t even a morning favourite in that race with a 6-1 odds. He raced from his fifth place finish in the $196,000 Knicks Go Stakes at Churchill Downs and had a 5-for-5 record against the Lesser Competition in Saratoga.
Jockey: Flavienplat; trainer: Robert Falcone Jr.
4. Touch (4-1): He excelled in the role of a 3-year-old bridesmaid in 2024, finishing second in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, Grade 1 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes and the $250,000 Iowa Derby. His race at the 4-year-old has improved this year, but so far he has been opposed to less competition with big wins in fair ground allowance races. Does that mean he’s ready to tackle ferociousness, white avalio, etc.? That’s doubtful, but his recent speed figures suggest that he is approaching the stratosphere needed to provide competitive efforts.
Jockey: Florent Gueru; trainer: Brad Cox
5. Raging Torrent (5-1): If you’re looking for the best option to try to beat your favorites, this 4-year-old colt is it. Raging Torrent has taken the form of dynamite for more than last year’s calendar year, earning five wins in the only loss at the six-furlong Cygames Breaders’ Cup Sprint last fall, having won five wins since May last year. Last year he won the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar and Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, entering the Met Mile from an impressive victory to launch the 2025 campaign with the $1 million Godolphin Mile sponsored by Emal. He is an interesting miles competitor. Because all other principals are reduced from optimal long distances to one mile, but this horse extends from the wheelhouse distance of seven furlongs. His early speed and distance in this race are very likely to lead him, and he will be dangerous from there. He is unlucky that Met Mile is currently being contested in two Saratoga urns, instead of the traditional one-turn layout at Belmont Park.
Jockey: Frankie Detri; trainer: Doug O’Neill
pick: Fear
Live long shot: A raging torrent
Trifecta: 1-2-5
