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.