Belmont Stakes TV Schedule 2017: NBC TV Info, Start Time and Race Live Stream

The winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes are not in the field for Saturday's Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, but there is still the $1.5 million purse and fact it is the longest of the Triple Crown races to attract some of horse racing's best competitors. 

Even without Derby champion Always Dreaming, Preakness victor Cloud Computing and the formidable Classic Empire, the 149th running of the Belmont Stakes figures to bring plenty of excitement, with Irish War Cry and Lookin At Lee set to square off with the rest of the field.

With that in mind, here is a look at the broadcast information for Saturday's 1 ½-mile race.

Broadcast Information

Date: Saturday, June 10

Post time: 6:37 p.m. ET

TV: NBC from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, per the event's official website

Live stream: NBC Sports Live

Best Bet: Irish War Cry

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

There is no getting around the fact this is a watered-down field.

After all, Classic Empire won the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2016 and then captured the Arkansas Derby title before a fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby and second-place showing at the Preakness. 

Always Dreaming and Cloud Computing became household names with their respective victories at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and the latter's win at Pimlico Race Course came on a late charge after Always Dreaming and Classic Empire battled for the majority of the race.

That leaves Irish War Cry—the OddsShark-reported Belmont favorite, at 3-1 on Thursday—as the best bet.

Don't just target him when making your predictions because he doesn't have to deal with those three marquee horses. He should be notably fresh after skipping the Preakness, while others, such as Lookin At Lee, participated in the race.

The additional energy will prove critical for the finishing kick during this long race.

Don't worry too much about the 10th-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, either. Irish War Cry ended up a disappointing seventh at the Fountain of Youth but then bounced back to win the Wood Memorial. He has already demonstrated the ability to recover from lackluster showings and will do so again at the Belmont.

Jockey Rajiv Maragh sports an impressive resume that includes the aforementioned Wood Memorial victory. He should be plenty familiar with the horse entering the much-anticipated Belmont Stakes.

Don't overlook the pedigree, either. Irish War Cry was sired by former American Horse of the Year Curlin and has potential greatness waiting to be unlocked in his blood.

Look for Maragh to bide his time during the 1 ½-mile track before unleashing a strong finishing kick with the horse that has won four of six starts. The formula will prove fruitful when Irish War Cry has additional energy for the end after missing the Preakness, and the result will be a Belmont crown.