| 129th Belmont Stakes | |
| Class: | Grade I stakes race |
| Horse Race: | Belmont Stakes |
| Location: | Belmont Park Elmont, New York, U.S. |
| Date: | June 7, 1997 |
| Winning Horse: | Touch Gold |
| Winning Time: | 2:28.82 |
| Final Odds: | 2.65 (to 1) |
| Winning Jockey: | Chris McCarron |
| Winning Trainer: | Patrick B. Byrne |
| Winning Owner: | Stronach Stables and Stonerside Stable |
| Attendance: | 20,000 |
| Conditions: | Fast |
| Surface: | Dirt |
| Previous: | 1996 |
| Next: | 1998 |
The 1997 Belmont Stakes was the 129th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York held on June 7, 1997. With a field of seven horses, Touch Gold won by a quarter of a length in front of a crowd of 20,000 spectators.[1] Silver Charm, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, had a chance to win the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing by winning this race, but was unsuccessful.[2] [3]
| Finish | Post Position | Program Number | Horse | Jockey | Owner | Trainer | Final Odds (to 1) | Stakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Touch Gold | Chris McCarron | Stronach Stables and Stonerside Stable | Patrick B. Byrne | 2 | $432,600 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | Silver Charm | Gary Stevens | Robert B. Lewis and Beverly J. Lewis | Bob Baffert | 1 | $144,200 |
| 3 | 6 | 5 | Free House | Kent Desormeaux | Trudy McCaffery and John A. Toffan | J. Paco Gonzalez | 4 | $79,310 |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | Crypto Star | Pat Day | Darryl and Evelyn Yates | Larry A. Kelly | 4 | $43,260 |
| 5 | 7 | 6 | Irish Silence | John Velazquez | Jami C. Poole | Jami C. Poole | 34 | $21,630 |
| 6 | 4 | 1a | Wild Rush | Jerry Bailey | Stronach Stables | Patrick B. Byrne | 2 | |
| 7 | 5 | 4 | Mr. Energizer | Manuel Ortega | Ezequiel M. Rolon | Dale T. Clark | 45 | |
Times: mile: :23.74, mile: :49.22, mile: 1:13.81, 1 mile: 1:38.80, Final: 2:28.82
| Program | Horse | Win | Place | Show | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Touch Gold[4] | $7.30 | $3.30 | $2.60 | |
| 2 | Silver Charm | – | $3.00 | $2.40 | |
| 5 | Free House | – | – | $2.70 |