Justify captures Triple Crown, wins 150th Belmont Stakes

Justify has won the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes, becoming the 13th horse in history to win the Triple Crown. Trainer Bob Baffert has now won two Triple Crowns in four years. 

The 3-year-old colt improved to 6-0 in its racing career that began in February. Seattle Slew was unbeaten when he won the Triple Crown in 1977.

Sent off as the 4-5 favorite, Justify went to the lead out of the starting gate and led nine rivals around the track’s sweeping turns on Saturday. He’s the first Triple Crown winner to face that many rivals in the 1½-mile Belmont.

At 52, Mike Smith is the oldest jockey to win the Triple Crown.

In 2015, American Pharoah ended a 37-year Triple Crown drought, becoming the first horse since 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

This is a developing story and will be updated.