The Belmont Stakes is traditionally run at 1½ miles , which is 12 furlongs (about 2,400 meters), making it the longest of the three U.S. Triple Crown races.

Quick Scoop

  • The “classic” answer to “how long is the Belmont?” is 1½ miles on dirt.
  • That distance has been its signature since 1926, and is why it’s often called “the Test of the Champion.”
  • The race has historically been run at other distances (such as 1⅝, 1⅜, 1¼, and 1⅛ miles), but those are now mainly of historical interest.

A bit of recent nuance

  • In some modern years, including 2024–2025, the Belmont Stakes has temporarily been scheduled at 1¼ miles instead of 1½ miles because of venue and logistical changes.
  • When people ask “how long is the Belmont” without specifying a year, they almost always mean the traditional 1½‑mile configuration at Belmont Park.

In forum and fan discussions, you’ll sometimes see debates about whether the shorter, temporary distances “count” the same, which adds a little extra drama to recent runnings.

TL;DR: In racing tradition and most conversation, the Belmont = 1½ miles, even though a few modern editions have been shorter due to special circumstances.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.