There is no Triple Crown hanging in the balance but the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10 is setting up to be a competitive affair, with Classic Empire the early betting favorite at 2-1.
The 2016 juvenile champion had a tough trip in a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and then was run down by Cloud Computing in the final strides in a runner up finish in the Preakness Stakes (G1).
Both the Derby and Preakness winner are doubtful to enter the Belmont.
It looks as if there will be a field of between 10 and 13 runners for the third jewel of the Triple Crown.
There are three new shooters to the Triple Crown scene:
Epicharis is based in Japan and ran second in the UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan, which earned him a trip to the Run for the Roses, but his connections elected to wait for the Belmont Stakes. The colt is the current second choice in early Belmont Stakes betting at 19-4.
Twisted Tom comes into the race off a victory in the Federico Tesio at Pimlico. The colt is listed at odds of 16-1 in early Belmont betting.
Meantime is at odds of 25-1. The colt broke his maiden in his third career start and then ran second in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in his last outing.
The Belmont field likely will include six runners that last ran in the Kentucky Derby – Tapwrit (6th), Gormley (9th), Irish War Cry (10th), Patch (14th), J Boys Echo (14th) and Irap (18th).
Among the six Tapwrit is the lowest odds in early Belmont Stakes wagering at 6-1.
Three runners that Classic Empire finished ahead of in the Preakness appear likely to come back in the Belmont – Senior Investment (3rd), Lookin At Lee (4th) and Multiplier (6th).
Looking At Lee is the only runner other than Classic Empire that is likely to run in all three Triple Crown races. The runner up in the Kentucky Derby at 33-1, the colt came back with a fourth-place finish in the Preakness.
Senior Investment, who ran third in the Preakness, is fifth choice in early Belmont Stakes betting at 8-1.
Last year’s Belmont Stakes winner was Creator, who returned $34.80 to win. The colt had won the Arkansas Derby (G1), was 13th in the Kentucky Derby, skipped the Preakness, and scored the big upset in New York.
The Belmont winner has paid $20.40 or more in seven of the past nine years, the top payoff Da’Tara, who returned $79.00 to win in 2008.
The shortest priced winner in the last three decades was American Pharoah in 2015, the Triple Crown winner returning just $3.50 to win.