Belmont Stakes 2019 Horses: Entry List, Vegas Odds and Dark-Horse Favorites

The 151st running of the Belmont Stakes takes place in New York on Saturday, June 8, as 10 contenders are expected to battle for glory in the final jewel in horse racing's Triple Crown. 

Tacitus heads into the oldest and longest of the Triple Crown races as the favourite at 13-8, while 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will is also highly fancied at 2-1.

Neither Kentucky Derby winner Country House nor Maximum Security, who crossed the line first but was disqualified at Churchill Downs, will run in the Belmont after also missing the Preakness Stakes.

Entry List and Latest Odds

Tacitus: 13-8

War of Will: 2-1

Everfast: 8-1

Spinoff: 9-1

Intrepid Heart: 10-1

Master Fencer: 11-1

Bourbon War: 16-1

Sir Winston: 16-1

Tax: 16-1

Joevia: 33-1

Odds via Oddschecker

Dark-Horse Favorites

Intrepid Heart is an outside bet worth considering at 10-1. He won his first race at Keeneland in April with a strong finish:

He also came in third at the Peter Pan Stakes despite a slow start but may be more suited to the Belmont, according to Horse Racing Nation's Reinier Macatangay:

Trainer Todd Pletcher spoke about Intrepid Heart's chances after the Peter Pan Stakes, per the NYRA Press Office (h/t Paulick Report).

"He stumbled coming out of the gate, but he's still lightly raced. I thought he galloped out well. He's bred top and bottom for the distance, and I'm optimistic that his pedigree will allow him to get the distance."

Intrepid Heart has won two of his three starts in 2019, while trainer Pletcher knows all about winning at Belmont Park.

Pletcher has previously tasted success with Rags to Riches, Palace Malice and Tapwrit, and no other trainer in the race has more Belmont wins.

Another longshot that has the potential to spring an upset on Saturday is Bourbon War at 16-1. The colt came in eighth at the Preakness Stakes after going wide on the final turn.

Riding Bourbon War for the first time will be Mike Smith, who has won the Belmont Stakes three times in his career already. Smith was victorious in 2018 on Justify on their way to winning the Triple Crown.

XBTV showed Bourbon War in good shape ahead of the race:

Bourbon War wore blinkers at Preakness but has been working without them ahead of Saturday's big event, and trainer Mark Hennig has been satisfied with his preparation.

"I was happy with him. I thought he did well, looked sharp and galloped out strong," he said, per Thoroughbred Daily News.

Bourbon War disappointed at Preakness after a bright start to 2019 when he finished just behind Code of Honor at the Fountain of Youth Stakes and fourth at the Florida Derby.

The addition of Hall of Famer Smith will boost his chances, and if he can get the best out of Bourbon War, he should prove to be a threat at Belmont.