Total handle on the Belmont Stakes on Saturday was up 12.5 percent compared to the depressed wagering totals on the race last year, according to charts of the races.
Total wagering on the race, including all multi-leg bets that ended in the Belmont, was $56.53 million, well above last year’s total handle of $50.25 million. However, last year’s Belmont wagering total was down 16.5 percent compared to the 2021 running, which had total wagering of $60.15 million.
This year’s Belmont had nine runners, including Forte, the favorite in the Kentucky Derby prior to his race-day scratch from that race; the Preakness winner, National Treasure; and Angel of Empire, the favorite in the Derby who finished third in that race.
