The 152nd edition of the Belmont Stakes comes our way this Saturday, June 20, from Elmont, NY. This year’s running of the signature race is different from years past for a pair of big reasons.
First, the Belmont is in the unusual position of kicking off the Triple Crown series in 2020 as the calendar has shifted dramatically in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. The Kentucky Derby normally kicks off the festivities, followed by the Preakness, with the Belmont rounding things out.
This year, the Derby has been postponed till September, while the Preakness is scheduled to go off in October. Normally, the Belmont takes place in early June, so it’s only a few weeks off the mark.
Also, the Belmont is normally contested over 1 ½ miles, but that’s not the case this year as the race has been shortened to 1 ⅛ miles. Regardless of length, anticipation is high for one of the signature races of the calendar year.
Post positions were unveiled on Wednesday, so we now have our first concrete look at the field. Here’s what you need to know about all 10 runners, listed by post drawn, with morning line odds and other key details.
1 – Tap It to Win, 6-1
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Trainer: Mark Casse
- Birthplace: Florida
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – Allowance at Belmont
- Derby Points: NA
- Career Earnings: $124,672
2 – Sole Volante, 9-2
- Jockey: Luca Panici
- Trainer: Patrick Biancone
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – Sam F. Davis Stakes
- Derby Points: 30
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $173,510
3 – Max Player, 15-1
- Jockey: Joel Rosario
- Trainer: Linda Rice
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – Withers Stakes
- Derby Points: 10
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $137,500
4 – Modernist, 15-1
- Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Trainer: Bill Mott
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – Risen Star Stakes
- Derby Points: 70
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $340,000
5 – Farmington Road, 15-1
- Jockey: Javier Castellano
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 4th – Arkansas Derby
- Derby Points: 15
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $81,000
6 – Fore Left, 30-1
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Trainer: Doug O’Neill
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – UAE Two Thousand Guineas
- Derby Points: NA
- Career Earnings: $355,902
7 – Jungle Runner, 50-1
- Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez
- Trainer: Steve Asmussen
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 8th – Arkansas Derby
- Derby Points: 1
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $86,750
8 – Tiz the Law, 6-5
- Jockey: Manuel Franco
- Trainer: Barclay Tagg
- Birthplace: New York
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – Florida Derby
- Derby Points: 122
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $902,400
9 – Dr. Post, 5-1
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 1st – Unbridled Stakes
- Derby Points: NA
- Career Earnings: $76,635
10 – Pneumatic, 8-1
- Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
- Trainer: Steve Asmussen
- Birthplace: Kentucky
- Signature Accomplishment: 3rd – Matt Winn Stakes
- Derby Points: 10
- Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $14,250
As expected, Tiz the Law is the prohibitive favorite. The horse is atop the Derby leaderboard with 122 points and features a resume that includes a victory in the Curlin Florida Derby. Tiz the Law has also found success at Belmont in the past, winning the 1-mile Champagne Stakes, a G1 event from last October.
Tap It to Win is nowhere to be found on the Derby points leaderboard, but the horse has emerged as an intriguing play due to a recent impressive performance in an Allowance race at Belmont. Of the other nine horses in the field, only Fore Left and Dr. Post are also absent from the Derby standings.
Sole Volante is the second choice of oddsmakers for the time being at 9-2, but we’ll naturally have to wait and see how the betting action shakes out come Saturday. For now, the forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and temps in the upper 70s for the weekend at Belmont, so we should have stellar conditions for what shapes up to be an outstanding race.
