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Belmont Stakes 2019: Post Time, TV Coverage, NBC Live Stream and Purse Payout
June 8, 2019
The 2019 Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday at 6:37 p.m. ET to conclude the final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
Unlike last year, there will be no Triple Crown at stake, though. Kentucky Derby winner Country House did not run in the Preakness and is also not running in the Belmont Stakes, so there will be much less buzz surrounding this year's race.
Yet there is still plenty of excitement and money to be won. The total purse is $1.5 million for the mile-and-a-half race, with the winner receiving $800,000 of that.
Date: June 9
Time: 6:37 p.m. (approx.)
Network: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
Belmont Stakes Preview
Preakness winner War of Will enters the Belmont Stakes as the favorite at 2-1 and starting in the ninth post, per TwinSpires:
War of Will was affected by the controversial interference in the Kentucky Derby that overturned the results of the race. He finished seventh, but the race could have unfolded differently had he not been bumped by Maximum Security.
Regardless, trainer Mark Casse told Joe Drape of the New York Times ahead of the race that War of Will has added 40-50 pounds since the Preakness. He will also have 24-year-old jockey Tyler Gaffalione at the helm in his first Belmont Stakes. As the only horse that will have run all three Triple Crown races, Casse will be hoping his horse does not show fatigue because of a lack of rest.
Tacitus, entering at 9-5 odds, will be on the farthest post outside and could be the biggest threat to War of Will. The early-morning favorite at the Kentucky Derby (h/t Forbes), Tacitus is the son of Tapit, the stallion who sired 2017 Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit, so the long-distance races are in his bloodline.
If you are looking for a dark horse who could emerge, Intrepid Heat (10-1) starting at the eighth post is worth a look. His trainer is Todd Pletcher, who has more Belmont starters (35) and wins (three) than any other trainer with a horse in this year's race. Intrepid Heat has only had three career races, though, so it is tough to gauge if he is ready for the competition he faces in the mile-and-a-half race.