Belmont Stakes 2018: Projected Prize Money Earnings, Order of Finish and More

The Belmont Stakes may not be quite as lucrative as the Kentucky Derby, but there will still be plenty of prize money on offer for the 10 horses who will comprise the field at Belmont Park in New York on Saturday.

Per the New York Racing Association, the overall purse is worth a cool $1.5 million, with the winner taking home just over half that amount.

The total prize money has remained the same since 2014, so the earnings per position have likely also stayed constant.

Per Equibase, the 2017 Belmont Stakes broke down as follows:

• 1st: $800,000
• 2nd: $280,000
• 3rd: $150,000
• 4th: $100,000
• 5th: $60,000
• 6th: $45,000
• 7th: $35,000
• 8th: $30,000

And here are some predictions for the order of finish:

• 1st: Bravazo
• 2nd: Justify
  
• 3rd: Hofburg
  
• 4th: Tenfold
  
• 5th: Vino Rosso
  
• 6th: Restoring Hope
  
• 7th: Gronkowski
  
• 8th: Blended Citizen
• 9th: Noble Indy
• 10th: Free Drop Billy 

Justify is the latest horse to enter the Belmont Stakes with the chance of making history after he maintained his 100 per cent winning record with victories at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Unsurprisingly, he is already receiving comparisons with American Pharoah, who became the first since Affirmed in 1978 to successfully complete a Triple Crown bid in 2015.

Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert—trainer of both American Pharoah and Justify—noted their similarities:

It's high praise, and not unjustified given what the three-year-old has achieved in a remarkable space of time, having started his first race as recently as February.

He may not have it all his own way on Saturday, though.

Justify will start from Post 1, a position Baffert does not care for, per ESPN's Lane Gold:

At the least, it will require a change in race strategy, and it could jeopardise his chances if he gets boxed in early on.

There has not been a winner against the rails in the Belmont Stakes since 2003, and that was in a field that contained just six horses.

What's more, he'll also have Bravazo to contend with. Despite being tripped and finishing sixth in Kentucky, Churchill Downs track announcer Travis Stone was impressed with his showing:

With no such hindrance in Baltimore, Bravazo was hot on Justify's heels in the final furlong, per Fox Sports' Doug Gottlieb:

Had the Preakness Stakes been even a few yards longer, Bravazo likely would have overtaken his rival.

Over the 12-furlong course at Belmont, he has the pace that could grant him the victory.

Justify is an outstanding competitor, but there's a reason American Pharoah is the only horse to win the Triple Crown in the last 40 years—it's exceedingly difficult to pull off.