Updated: June 5th 6:15 PM EST

The final leg of the Triple Crown is set for this Saturday June 5th at Belmont Park. Post time is 6:49 PM EST.  The race will be televised on NBC with coverage beginning at 3 PM EST on NBC Sports Network.

Below are the post-positions, jockey assignments and morning line odds.

2021 Belmont Stakes

Post Position/ Horse/Jockey/Trainer/Odds
1. Bourbonic – Carmouche/Pletcher – 10/1
2. Essential Quality – Saez/Cox – 2/1
3. Rombauer – Velazquez/McCarthy – 3/1
4. Hod Rod Charlie – Prat/O’Neill – 7/2
5. France Go de Ina – Santana Jr/Mori – 30/1
6. Known Agenda – J.Ortiz/Pletcher – 6/1
7. Rock Your World – Rosario/Sadler – 9/2
8. Overtook – Franco/Pletcher – 20/1

Race Analysis: A 1 1/2 mile (12 furlong) race, which none of these 3-year-olds have never run yet, it is difficult to handicap. With an eight horse field, exotics won’t pay out big dollars. So, I will just place a big win bet. My race favorite is Essential Quality for the reasons below.

The Tapit Factor: Essential Quality’s sire is Tapit and Tapit’s progeny run very well at Belmont Park. In the last seven Belmont Stakes races, Tapit’s progeny have produced three wins (Tonalist, Creator & Tapwrit) and two 2nd place finishes (Frosted & Tacitus). Last year’s winner, Tiz the Law, was a progeny of Constitution whose sire was Tapit.

Betting Strategy: I am making a big win bet on Essential Quality as well as a boxed exacta of Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie.

I will update this blog clear up until post-time in case there are any scratches or the weather changes.

Here are the live odds: https://www.belmontstakes.com/racing/belmont-stakes-live-odds

For those looking for the Past Performance sheet for this race, here is the link: https://picks.horseracingnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Belmont-Stakes-2021-PPs.pdf

–Michael