August Belmont Sr. treasured stamina and bred his horses accordingly. When he and partner Leonard Jerome founded their New York racetrack in 1866, Belmont wanted to add a long-distance stakes, one that celebrated stamina in 3-year-olds. To that end, he inaugurated the 1 5/8-mile Belmont Stakes in June 1867, the sophomore test at Jerome Park soon becoming a traditional test of endurance.

The biggest longshot tied to the 2024 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets has nothing to do with any of the horses.

If you are looking for a million-to-one shot, then that’s the likely odds on someone actually getting the $53,888 they want on StubHub.com for a seat at the historic first-ever Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.