2013 Belmont Stakes facts for kids
| Belmont Stakes | |
"The Test of the Champion"
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| Location | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, U.S. |
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| Date | June 8, 2013 |
| Distance | 1+1⁄2 mi (12 furlongs; 2,414 m) |
| Winning horse | Palace Malice |
| Winning time | 2:30.70 |
| Jockey | Mike E. Smith |
| Trainer | Todd Pletcher |
| Owner | Dogwood Stables |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Attendance | 47,562 |
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The 2013 Belmont Stakes was a famous horse race. It was the 145th time this race was held. It happened on June 8, 2013, at Belmont Park in New York. The Belmont Stakes is the last of three big races. These three races together are called the Triple Crown.
In 2013, no horse could win the Triple Crown. This was because Orb, who won the Kentucky Derby, lost to Oxbow in the Preakness Stakes. A horse named Palace Malice won the Belmont Stakes. The race took 2 minutes and 30.70 seconds. Oxbow finished second, and Orb came in third. Many people watched the race, with 47,562 fans in the stands.
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What Horses Raced?
The 2013 Belmont Stakes had a lot of horses. Both Orb, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Oxbow, the winner of the Preakness Stakes, raced. This was the 21st time that the winners of the first two Triple Crown races met in the Belmont Stakes.
A total of 14 horses entered the race. This was one of the biggest groups of horses ever for the Belmont Stakes. Orb was expected to win, as he was the favorite before the race.
A Trainer's Record and a Female Jockey
A horse trainer named Todd Pletcher had five horses in the race. This was a new record! One of his horses was a filly named Unlimited Budget. A filly is a young female horse. She tried to become only the second filly to win the Belmont Stakes in modern times. The first was Pletcher's horse, Rags to Riches, who won in 2007.
Unlimited Budget was ridden by Rosie Napravnik. She made history by becoming the first female jockey to ride in all three Triple Crown races in one year. Many news outlets talked about the story of the female horse and her female jockey.
How the Race Unfolded
The race was exciting from the start. Oxbow took the lead early on. He stayed in front for most of the race. But then, Palace Malice started to catch up. With about a quarter-mile left to go, Palace Malice passed Oxbow.
Palace Malice kept going strong and won the race. He finished about three and a quarter lengths ahead of Oxbow. Orb, who had been behind, made a good effort and finished in third place.
Top Finishers
Here are the top horses and jockeys from the 2013 Belmont Stakes:
| Position | Horse | Jockey | Winnings |
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| 1 | Palace Malice | Mike E. Smith | $600,000 |
| 2 | Oxbow | Gary Stevens | $200,000 |
| 3 | Orb | Joel Rosario | $110,000 |
| 4 | Incognito | Irad Ortiz Jr. | $60,000 |
| 5 | Revolutionary | Javier Castellano | $30,000 |
- Winning Margin: Palace Malice won by 3¼ lengths.
- Winning Time: 2 minutes, 30.70 seconds.
- Track Condition: The track was "Fast," meaning it was dry and good for racing.
