Belmont Stakes 2021: Post Positions, Odds and Race Schedule for Elmont

The 2021 Triple Crown season wraps up on Saturday with the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes. 

Tuesday was a big day from Belmont Park, as the post-position draw for the eight-horse field was set. 

Headlining the field is Preakness Stakes champion Rombauer. The Michael W. McCarthy-trained horse is currently the No. 2 betting favorite with 3-1 odds. 

Essential Quality, who was 5-0 prior to a fourth-place finish at Churchill Downs, leads the pack with 2-1 odds. 

The biggest story leading up to the Belmont was the New York Racing Association's decision to suspend Bob Baffert in the wake of multiple positive drug tests involving horses he has trained. 

As a result of the suspension, Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit is unable to compete in Saturday's race. 

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2021 Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Odds

Post 1: Bourbonic (15-1)

Post 2: Essential Quality (2-1)

Post 3: Rombauer (3-1)

Post 4: Hot Rod Charlie (7-2)

Post 5: France Go de Ina (30-1)

Post 6: Known Agenda (6-1)

Post 7: Rock Your World (9-2)

Post 8: Overtook (20-1)

Odds via HorseRacing.net

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2021 Belmont Stakes Schedule

Date: Saturday, June 5

Post Time: 6:47 p.m. ET

Network: NBC

Live Stream: Peacock

Even though Rombauer has the biggest win of any horse in the field, it's hard not to be intrigued by what Essential Quality is capable of doing in the longest Triple Crown race. 

Essential Quality has fresh legs after skipping the Preakness Stakes in order to prepare for Belmont. 

Trainer Brad Cox told BloodHorse.com the decision to bypass the Preakness appears to have paid off based on the early returns in practice:

"I got back to the barn and 'Essential's' rider, who has been on him since last fall, said how easily he got around there. It didn't take anything out of him. It's a real positive sign when you have a work like that leading into the Belmont. He's still a pretty lightly raced horse but has faced adversity in his previous races, which is good going into a Triple Crown race. I think the distance will suit him very well, being a son of Tapit." 

BloodHorse.com noted Essential Quality ran five furlongs at Churchill Downs in just over 59 seconds on May 29 before departing for New York. 

"It was the fastest of 43 works at the distance," BloodHorse.com wrote.

Rombauer has been hit-and-miss throughout his young career. The three-year-old didn't take part in the Kentucky Derby but finished outside the top four in two of six events prior to the Preakness. 

In his highest-profile event before the Preakness Stakes, Rombauer came in fifth at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November. He's found more consistency of late, with three consecutive top-three showings. That streak is headlined by wins at Pimlico and the El Camino Real Derby. 

If Rombauer continues this recent trend, the battle for the top spot this weekend could be one for the ages. 

Chasing Essential Quality and Rombauer atop the betting list is Hot Rod Charlie. Trainer Doug O'Neill has yet to win at Belmont, but he would have had the overwhelming favorite in 2012 when I'll Have Another was going for a Triple Crown before an injury forced him to be scratched from the race. 

Hot Rod Charlie hasn't finished worse than third in any of his three races this year, including at the Kentucky Derby. He beat out fellow Derby contender Midnight Bourbon to win the Louisiana Derby in March.