Secretariat Leads Margin of Victories in The Belmont Stakes

Jun 28, 2011
BarbaraAnne Helberg

Secretariat Leads Belmont Stakes in Margin of Victories - Barbara Anne Helberg (2010)

Secretariat's margin of victory in the Belmont Stakes leads the race's history. Also among the leaders of the race at 1-1/2 miles is his son Risen Star.

Often referred to as "the test of a champion", the Belmont Stakes is the third leg of the American Triple Crown for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. Just 11 Thoroughbreds in history have won all three of the Triple Crown races, which include the Kentucky Derby on the front end, and the Preakness Stakes as the second jewel.

Historic victories in the Belmont Stakes by 10 or more lengths while the race's distance has been 1-1/2 miles has thus far been accomplished by just seven Thoroughbreds, led by Secretariat's unbelievable 31-length score in 1973, the year he won the ninth Triple Crown.

Who Has Won the Belmont by 10 Lengths?

Belmont Stakes victories by 10 or more lengths at the 1-1/2 miles distance include:

Secretariat, 31 lengths, 1973
Count Fleet, 25, 1943
Risen Star, 14-3/4, 1988
Bet Twice, 14, 1987
Conquistador Cielo, 14, 1982
Point Given, 12-1/4, 2001
Twenty Grand, 10, 1931

Secretariat's Belmont Stakes Records

Secretariat (Big Red) sired Risen Star.

The big red chestnut's Belmont records are likely to endure forever without serious challenge, much as the New York Yankees' Joe DiMaggio's unbroken record of hitting safely in 56 straight regular season games in 1941.

Secretariat holds the Belmont speed record, 2:24 flat (also a world record) for 1-1/2 miles; its margin of victory record (all time), a mouth-gaping 31 lengths; and had a son also win the race by over 10 lengths, an astonishing feat for a 1-1/2 miles trek. The coming of another Secretariat, or another Joe D. is unlikely.

Twenty-six Won By Four or More Lengths

Twenty-six Thoroughbreds since 1926, when the Belmont permanently adopted a 1-1/2 miles contest, have earned their championship by four or more lengths.

In a four-year consecutive stretch, 1987 through 1990, all four Belmont winners completed their triumph by eight, or more lengths. They are: Bet Twice, 1987, 14 lengths; Risen Star, 1988, 14-3/4; Easy Goer, 1989, 8; and Go and Go, 1990, 8-1/4.

Triple Crown Winners With Four-Lengths Sons

Count Fleet (1943 Triple Crown winner) and Seattle Slew (1977 Triple Crown victor) also had sons win the 1-1/2 miles Belmont by four lengths.

Count Fleet's Counterpoint turned the trick in 1951, and Slew's Swale won by four lengths in 1984. Count Fleet triumphed by 25 lengths, and Slew won by four lengths.

Three-Lengths Belmont Winners

Winners of the 1-1/2 miles Belmont by three and a fraction lengths include:

Caveat, 3-1/2 lengths, 1983
Coastal, 3-1/4, 1979
Bold Venture's Assault (1946 Triple Crown winner), 3
Man o' War's War Admiral (1937 Triple Crown victor), 3
Gallant Fox, (1930 Triple Crown winner), 3
Vito, 1928, 3

Eight/Nine-Lengths Winners of the Belmont

Five Thoroughbreds have won the Belmont at 1-1/2 miles by between eight and nine lengths. They are:

1948, Triple Crown winner Citation, 8
1955, Nashua, 9
1957, Gallant Man, 8
1989, Easy Goer, 8
1990, Go and Go, 8-1/4

Five- to Seven-Length Belmont Winners

The following Thoroughbreds claimed the Belmont title at 1-1/2 miles by winning from five to six lengths:

1934, Peace Chance, 6
1939, Johnstown, 5
1945, Pavot, 5
1947, Phalanx, 5
1958, Cavan, 6 (halting Tim Tam's Triple Crown try)
1960, Celtic Ash, 5-1/2
1969, Arts and Letters, 5-1/2 (stopping Majestic Prince's Triple Crown attempt)
1972, Riva Ridge, 7
1974, Little Current, 7
2005, Afleet Alex, 7
2008, Da' Tara, 5-1/4 (thwarting Big Brown's Triple Crown attempt)

Belmont Stakes Run At Less Than 1-1/2 Miles

In its beginnings, the Belmont Stakes was run at various distances, but a few years after the first Triple Crown winner in 1919 (Sir Barton), it was established continuously as a 1-1/2 miles contest.

In 1920, when Man o' War blitzed the field for a 20-length victory, the Belmont was run at 1-3/8 miles. That distance was used from 1896 through 1903 and 1906 through 1925.

From 1867 through 1873, the race was run at a distance of 1-5/8 miles. One and one quarter miles was used from 1890 through 1892, in 1895, and from 1904 through 1905. In 1893 and 1894, 1-1/8 miles was the established distance for the race.