2014 Belmont Stakes
| Belmont Stakes | |
"The Test of the Champion."
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| Location |
Belmont Park, Elmont, New York, US |
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| Date | June 7, 2014 |
| Winning horse | Tonalist |
| Jockey | Joel Rosario |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
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← 2013
2015 →
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The 2014 Belmont Stakes was the 146th running of the Belmont Stakes. It was run on June 7, 2014, and was televised on NBC. California Chrome had a chance to complete the third leg of the Triple Crown after his victories in the 2014 Kentucky Derby and the 2014 Preakness Stakes. However, it was Tonalist who won the race. Commissioner placed second and Medal Count took third. California Chrome finished in a tie for fourth with Wicked Strong.
The purse money for the Belmont was $1,500,000, an increase of $500,000 from the 2013 race. Attendance of 102,199 was the third highest in Belmont Stakes history. The 2014 race set a record for the New York Racing Association (NYRA) for the amount of money bet, with an on-track handle of $19,105,877 and all-sources handle of $150,249,399. It had the second-highest television viewership to the 2004 broadcast.
The only three horses to contest all three legs of the Triple Crown were Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome, Ride On Curlin, and General a Rod. Returning from the Kentucky Derby, having skipped the Preakness, were Commanding Curve (who was second in the Derby), Wicked Strong, Medal Count, and Samraat. "New shooters" who had not run in either of the previous Triple Crown races included Tonalist, Matterhorn, Matuszak, and Commissioner. Tonalist and Commissioner had run first and second at Belmont Park in the Peter Pan Stakes. Matterhorn had run fourth in that race.
Derby runners Danza and Intense Holiday were anticipated to run but for various reasons did not. Preakness runners Kid Cruz and Social Inclusion were other possible runners who were not entered.
Morning line favorite California Chrome stumbled slightly out of the gate and bumped with another horse in his bid to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since 1978. Commissioner and General a Rod challenged for the early lead and jockey Victor Espinoza elected to ease California Chrome into third place at the first rail. California Chrome stayed back, falling to fourth then fifth as the race went on. Entering the final turn, he went outside of a surging Tonalist as the race went four horses wide. Espinoza pressed the horse, but California Chrome was unable to gain ground.
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