1906 40th Belmont: Lucien Lyne aboard Burgomaster wins in 2:20
The fastest Belmont Stakes time ever recorded is 2:24.00, set by Secretariat in 1973.
This time, achieved while winning the Triple Crown, still stands as the American record for 1 1/2 miles on dirt.
No, the Belmont Stakes has not always been 1 1/2 miles long.
Here's a brief history of the Belmont Stakes distance:
1867-1873: The inaugural Belmont Stakes was run at 1 5/8 miles.
1874-1889: The distance was shortened to 1 1/2 miles.
1890-1892 & 1895 & 1904: The race was run at 1 1/4 miles.
1893-1894: The Belmont Stakes was contested at 1 1/8 miles.
1896-1903: The distance was set at 1 3/8 miles.
1906-1925: The distance was again 1 3/8 miles.
1926-Present: The Belmont Stakes has been run at 1 1/2 miles, with the exception of 2020.
2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes to the Triple Crown schedule, the Belmont Stakes was run at a shortened distance of 1 1/8 miles.
2024 and 2025: Due to ongoing renovations at Belmont Park, the race has been temporarily moved to Saratoga Race Course, and will be run at 1 1/4 miles due to the smaller track size.
The Belmont Stakes has been held at five different distances throughout its history, before settling at the current 1 1/2 mile distance in 1926.