2019 Belmont Stakes: Get To Know The Field And The Favorites

• Tacitus is the Belmont Stakes pre-race favorite at 9/5 odds.
• War of Will is the only horse this year to start all three Triple Crown races.
• Master Fencer could become the first Japanese horse to win The Test of the Champion.

NEW YORK – Before the 2019 Triple Crown season got underway, there was plenty of buzz about a potential repeat champion after Justify’s dominant 2018 run. These things historically come in bunches, after all.

However, after a month that saw the Kentucky Derby winner disqualified and a host of top-level Thoroughbreds scratched from the Preakness Stakes, there’s a general dearth of buzz heading into this weekend’s Belmont Stakes.

And that’s wrong.

While there isn’t a Triple Crown on the line this year, the Belmont Stakes is nevertheless the same Test of the Champion it’s been since adopting its 1.5-mile format.

The 12-furlong Belmont has the reputation of being a wildcard event. It’s a marathon where the other Triple Crown races are sprints. And that shows in the field size more than anywhere else.

This year, the 10-furlong (1.25-mile) Kentucky Derby had 19 horses in its lineup, while the 9.5-furlong (1.187-mile) Preakness Stakes had 13 horses competing.

The drop-off from the Derby to the Preakness is usually due to a mix of injuries and down-calendar races that take priority for horses out of Triple Crown contention. However, the Belmont Stakes almost always sports the smallest field of the three marquee races.

This year, there are 10 horses scheduled to participate in the Belmont and the morning line odds have been set. The post draw was held at Citi Field on Tuesday, and the horses will start in the following gate order:

1. Joevia (30/1, +3000)
2. Everfast (12/1, +1200)
3. Master Fencer (8/1, +800)
4. Tax (15/1, +1500)
5. Bourbon War (12/1, +1200)
6. Spinoff (15/1, +1500)
7. Sir Winston 12/1 (+1200)
8. Intrepid Heart 10/1 (+1000)
9. War of Will (2/1, +200)
10. Tacitus (9/5, +180)

2019 Belmont Stakes Favorites

Though there are 10 horses in the Belmont Stakes field, LegalSportsBetting.com is noticing three horses are getting most of the buzz in the lead-up. These include pre-race favorite Tacitus, Preakness Stakes winner War of Will, and Master Fencer of Japan.

Tacitus Bio

Tacitus was an early favorite to win the Kentucky Derby, but he finished the race in third (after moving up from fourth when winner Maximum Security was DQ’d). While he did not race in the Preakness, Tacitus is favored in the Belmont for his long-track pedigree from sire Tapit.

Tacitus is owned by Juddmonte Farms, Inc. The horse is trained by William I. Mott, and his jockey is Jose L. Ortiz. Tacitus’ career record consists of five races. To date, he has three first-place finishes, one third-place finish (Kentucky Derby), and a fourth-place finish.

War of Will Bio

After starting both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes from the undesirable Gate 1 position (along the rail), War of Will drew Gate 9 for the Belmont. While the draw didn’t hurt the horse in the Preakness, which he won, his Belmont post position should be less taxing than an inside draw would be for this long race. War of Will has put on between 40 and 50 pounds for the marathon Belmont Stakes. War of Will is the only horse this year to start all three Triple Crown races.

War of Will is owned by Gary Barber, ridden by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, and trained by Mark E. Casse. War of Will’s career record consists of 10 starts, with four wins (including the Preakness Stakes), one place, and one show.

Master Fencer Bio

Master Fencer is that rarest of racehorses, bred, born, and raised in Japan. He finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and did not compete in the Preakness Stakes. If Master Fencer wins the Belmont Stakes, he would become the first Japanese Thoroughbred in history to do so.

Master Fencer is owned by Katsumi Yoshizawa, trained by Koichi Tsunoda, and ridden by jockey Julien R. Leparoux. In seven career starts, Master Fencer has two wins and two second-place finishes.

Belmont Stakes At-A-Glance:

• What: 151st Belmont Stakes
• Where: Elmont, New York
• Date: Saturday, June 8
• Time: Approx. 6:50 p.m.
• Network: NBC, NBCSN, NBC Sports App
• Field: 10 horses
• Favorite: Tacitus (9/5, +180)
• Weather forecast: Mostly sunny, 76 degrees (F)
• Track conditions: TBA

News tags: Belmont Stakes | Horse Racing | Master Fencer | Post positions | Tacticus | Triple Crown | War of Will