Why is the Belmont Stakes race on Fox this year?

For the first time ever, Belmont Stakes Triple Crown race is set to broadcast on Fox Sports under an 8-year agreement starting in 2023.

By Brittany Jarret Jun 10, 2023, 10:00am PDT

The 155th running of the Belmont Stakes will be held Saturday, June 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It’s the longest race of the triple crown at 1 ¹⁄₂ miles and is often called “The Test of Champions”. The Belmont Stakes represents the end of the Triple Crown season, and post-time for the race is 6:50 p.m. ET.

Fox is the new television partner for the Belmont Stakes after agreeing to an eight-year contract with the New York Racing Association to broadcast the event through 2030. The deal includes the entire Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, a multi-day event preceding the Belmont Stakes comprised of dozens of elite thoroughbred races.

The first two legs of the Triple Crown — the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes — were broadcast on NBC. Mage won the Derby and National Treasure won the Preakness. Bob Baffert’s National Treasure is in the Belmont field hoping to win the second leg of the Triple Crown, but Mage will not be participating and is looking towards the Saratoga meet later in August.