A field of 10 will line up in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) on Saturday led by Preakness Stakes (G1) winner War of Will. Here’s an update on the 2019 Belmont Stakes odds board.
War of Will bounced out of his eighth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) to win the Preakness, pulling off the mild upset and returning $14.20.
The Mark Casse trainee will be the only three-year-old this year that competed in all three jewels of the Triple Crown. The colt is the +225 second choice on the 2019 Belmont Stakes odds.
The favorite is Tacitus at +200, who rallied to cross the wire fourth in the Kentucky Derby, beaten 3 ¼ lengths. He was placed third after the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference.
Tacitus is trained by Bill Mott, who was the beneficiary of the disqualification in the Derby, saddling Country House, who was elevated to the win.
Both Country House and Maximum Security are skipping the Preakness and Belmont to point toward races this summer that may include the Haskell Invitational (G1) in July at Monmouth Park and the Travers Stakes (G1) in August at Saratoga.
2019 Belmont Stakes Odds: Master Fencer Sits Third
After the top pair the remaining eight runners are evenly matched, with five runners that ran in one of the two Triple Crown races.
The Japan-based Master Fencer is the third choice at +700 on the 2019 Belmont Stakes odds. The colt was dismissed at 58-1 in the Kentucky Derby and outran those big odds, making a mild late run to finish seventh, beaten four lengths, and placed sixth after the disqualification.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Belmont Stakes three times, including with Tapwrit in 2017 and Palace Malice in 2013, both who ran out of the money in the Derby and skipped the Preakness.
That might bode well for Spinoff, who was outrun in the Derby in an 18th place finish and is looking to bounce back with a better effort. His odds are +1200.
Pletcher will also saddle Intrepid Heart, who ran third in the Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont Park in his stakes debut on May 11. With just three starts under his belt this colt has as much upside as any in the field. His odds are at +800.
Bourbon War looked as if he would be a contender in the Preakness, but he was not much of a threat in an eighth-place finish. His odds for the Belmont are +800.
Everfast came with a good late rally to finish in the runner up spot in the Preakness as a longshot. The Dale Romans trainee was beaten by double digit lengths in each of his previous four starts. His odds are at +1000.
Tax returns after crossing the wire 15th in the Kentucky Derby. The colt ran well in his previous start with a runner up finish in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. The Danny Gargan trainee is at +1200.
Sir Winston rallied to finish in the runner up spot in the Peter Pan, a career best performance. He is trained by Casse, who also sends out War of Will, and is at +1200 odds as well.
Completing the Belmont field is Joevia at odds of +3300. The colt was seventh in the Wood Memorial in his lone start in graded stakes company. He bounced out of that outing by winning the Long Branch in the slop at Monmouth Park on May 12.
The Belmont Stakes is the 11th race on an outstanding 13-race card that includes seven other Grade 1 races. Post time is 6:37 ET and the race will be televised live on NBC.