Justify broke clean out of the gate and jumped right to the lead and never looked back in the 1 ½ mile romp, becoming the 13th Triple Crown winner in horse racing history by winning the 150th Belmont Stakes.
Mike Smith, who at 52 becomes the oldest Triple Crown jockey ever, guided the colt perfectly and didn’t have to crack a whip until the final moments of the race. Justify held off a strong push from Gronkowski, Vino Rosso and his stable mate Restoring Hope.
Bob Baffert became the second trainer to win the Triple Crown twice and Justify becomes the first undefeated Triple Crown winner.
Baffert also trained American Pharoah, who became the first Triple Crown in 37 years when he won all three races – the Belmont Stakes, Kentucky Debry and The Preakness Stakes.
WATCH RACE
Witness history!
Justify becomes the 13th horse to win the #TripleCrown! Watch the full #BelmontStakes race replay, presented by @rocketmortgage. pic.twitter.com/NA6MkfWBdY
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 9, 2018
PAYOUTS
Horse Odds Win Place Show
Justify 4-5 $3.60 $3.50 $2.80
Gronkowski 24-1 $13.80 $7.00
Hofburg 5-1 $3.70
$2 exact: 1-6, $89.00
$1 trifecta: 1-6-4, $229.74
$1 superfecta: 1-6-4-8, $1,051.50
ORDER OF FINISH
1. Justify
2. Gronkowski
3. Hofburg
4. Vino Rosso
5. Tenfold
6. Bravazo
7. Free Drop Billy
8. Restoring Hope
9. Blended Citizen
10. Noble Indy
TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS
1919: Sir Barton
1930: Gallant Fox
1935: Omaha
1937: War Admiral
1941: Whirlaway
1943: Count Fleet
1946: Assault
1948: Citation
1973: Secretariat
1977: Seattle Slew
1978: Affirmed
2015: American Pharaoh
2018: Justify
