How To Watch The 2019 Belmont Stakes

• Tacitus is the current favorite to with the 151st Belmont Stakes.
• Kentucky Derby winner Country House will not be competing, though Preakness winner War of Will is slated to run.
• The Belmont Stakes is scheduled for Saturday, June 8, at 6:50 p.m. (NBC, NBCSN).

NEW YORK – The 151st running of the Belmont Stakes will be held in Elmont, New York, on Saturday, June 8 (NBC, NBCSN). While the race will not determine a Triple Crown winner, there is still significant viewer and betting interest in the contest.

Through 138 Triple Crown series (since 1875), only 17 horses have ever won the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes without also winning the Kentucky Derby. Of those horses, only 11 actually ran in the Derby.

Preakness winner War of Will finished the Kentucky race in seventh place. However, War of Will was also the only horse physically impeded by disqualified Derby winner Maximum Security.

Still, War of Will is not the pre-race favorite to win the Belmont. That distinction belongs to Tacitus, who finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby before moving up to third upon Maximum Security’s ouster.

Tacitus did not run in the Preakness Stakes, which historically bodes well for his chances at the grueling Belmont track. At 1.5 miles (12 furlongs) in length, the Belmont is a marathon for sprinters. The extra rest might make a real difference for Tacitus.

Excluding Triple Crown winners, the last seven years have seen four of five horses race in the Kentucky Derby, skip the Preakness, and win the Belmont. The horses to do so during that span are Tapwrit (2017), Creator (2016), Palace Malice (2013), and Union Rags (2012).

Tacitus’ father Tapit sired both Tapwrit and Creator, as well as Tonalist, who won the 2014 Belmont Stakes to deny California Chrome the Triple Crown. This makes Tacitus even more attractive, as he has an established long-track pedigree.

Right now, that pedigree and extra time off seems to be favoring Tacitus strongly at most betting sites, where his odds are trending between +150 and +175.

Current Belmont Stakes Betting Odds

The current odds for the Belmont Stakes vary depending on which site or racebook you’re using. If betting at the track, the morning-line odds and post-time odds will be different than the futures listed below.

• Tacitus +175
• War of Will +250
• Master Fencer +700
• Owendale +700
• Everfast +800
• Intrepid Heart +1200
• Spinoff +1200
• Tax +1200
• Sir Winston +1600
• Joevia +2500

2019 Belmont Stakes At A Glance

What: 151st running of the Belmont Stakes
Where: Elmont Park, Belmont, NY
When: Saturday, June 8, 2019
Track: 1.5 miles (12 furlongs) dirt oval
Purse: $1.5 million
Field: TBD (currently 9 horses)
Favorite: Tacitus (+175, 7/4)
Post time: 6:50 p.m. (undercard starting at 2:30 p.m.)
TV: NBC, undercard on NBCSN
Streaming: NBC app, NBC Sports website, NBCSN

News tags: Belmont Stakes | horse racing betting