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Belmont Stakes Picks 2019: Predictions and Odds for All Horses in the Lineup
June 6, 2019
A field of 10 will run in the Belmont Stakes Saturday, and the Test of Champions will ask the three-year-old thoroughbreds to run further than they ever have in a competitive race.
The 1½-mile effort is a full quarter-mile longer than the Kentucky Derby. The home stretch at Belmont Park has been known to ruin many horses and jockeys who thought they had the race won with 200 yards to go or fewer.
Horses that have featured in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness generally have the best chance of winning the Belmont Stakes, and seven of the 10 horses in the field have been in at least one of those two races.
War of Will, who is coming off victory in the Preakness, is the only horse to have run in both.
Belmont Stakes Information
Date: Saturday, June 8
Post Time: 6:48 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
Here's how the horses will line up for the Test of Champions after Tuesday's post draw:
1 Joevia, 30-1
2 Everfast, 12-1
3 Master Fencer, 8-1
4 Tax, 15-1
5 Bourbon War, 12-1
6 Spinoff, 15-1
7 Sir Winston, 12-1
8 Intrepid Heart, 10-1
9 War of Will, 2-1
10 Tacitus, 9-5
Odds courtesy of BloodHorse
Tacitus is trained by veteran William Mott and ridden by Jose Ortiz. The Belmont Stakes favorite is a son of Tapit, who has sired three Belmont Stakes winners. Tacitus appears to have the kind of grinding style that will allow him to pick off runners one by one as he gallops down the stretch. Prediction: Winner.
Intrepid Heart does not have a lot of racing experience, but he has picked up two victories and a third-place finish in his three previous races. Intrepid Heart is trained by Todd Pletcher, who has won the Belmont Stakes previously and is ridden by John Velazquez. This is another son of Tapit, so the distance will be to his liking, and he is likely to be improving since this is just his fourth time going to the post. Prediction: Second place.
War of Will has been to the post 10 times in his carer and has four victories, including the Preakness. Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, War of Will likes to stay close to the early pace before mounting his kick. If he starts too early, he could get passed as he tires in the stretch. That may not happen this time around, but he may not have as much to offer as Tacitus or Intrepid Heart. Prediction: Third place.
Bourbon War is trained by Mark Hennig and ridden by Mike Smith. He is another son of Tapit, and he should be ready to do most of his running in the late going. He had a poor effort in the Preakness as he finished eighth as the second betting choice in the race. Jockey Irad Ortiz was never able to mount a run with him, and Hennig has decided to hand the horse to Smith, one of the best big-race jockeys in the nation. Bourbon War will be near the back of the pack before mounting his charge. Prediction: Fourth place.
Master Fencer is the Japanese import who received a special invitation to perform in the Kentucky Derby. However, that doesn't tell the full story, because three other Japanese thoroughbreds turned down invitations before Master Fencer's connections took up the offer. He was viewed as a rank outsider prior to the Derby, but he ran well down the stretch and charged up to sixth place in the 19-horse field. He is trained by Koichi Tsunoda and ridden by Julien Leparoux. Prediction: Fifth place.
Everfast: Sixth place
Sir Winston: Seventh place
Tax: Eighth place
Bourbon War: Ninth place
Joevia: 10th place
Horse racing information courtesy of Horse Racing Nation, Blood Horse and Daily Racing Form.