Mo Donegal (6), with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. up, crosses the finish line to win the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race on Sat Jun 10, 2022 (AP News photo)
By Jessica Kwong
The Belmont Stakes favorite, Mo Donegal, won the 154th running of the race on Saturday evening with an official time of 2:28:28.
Mo Donegal entered as a 5-2 favorite, and initially trailed We The People, who entered at 7-2. We The People lead the pack for roughly the first mile but fell to fourth place. Mo Donegal was in the middle and Skippylongstocking was second and trying to take the lead. But Mo Donegal surged from fifth place to first to take the crown.
It was his Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher’s fourth time winning the Belmont Stakes. Pletcher won Belmont in 2007 with Rags to Riches, with Palace Malice in 2013 and with Tapwrit in 2017.
In addition to winning with Mo Donegal, Pletcher’s other trainee Nest came in second place.
Owner Mike Repole said “this is my Derby.”
“This has been a dream that I’ve had for 40 years,” said Repole. “This is the biggest goal I had in my racing life, and I just accomplished it, and I ran 1-2.”
The Belmont betting favorite has won the race more than 42% of the time in the history of the running.
“I’m always going to be Mike from Queens,” Repole said. “This is New York’s biggest race, and to win it here, with family, friends, I’m sort of overwhelmed.”
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike came in sixth place. Saturday was the first time that three different horses won the Triple Crown races in four straight years.
Here are the Belmont Stakes results and payouts:
1 – Mo Donegal WIN: $7.20 PLACE: $3.80 SHOW: $3.00 2 – Nest PLACE: $5.30 SHOW: $4.10 3 – Skippylongstocking SHOW: $5.60
Finishing order:
- Mo Donegal
- Nest
- Skippylongstockin
- We the People
- Creative Minister
- Rich Strike
- Barber Road
- Golden Glider