Belmont Stakes Draw 2020: Start Time, Entry Lineup and TV Schedule

For the first time in history, the Belmont Stakes will precede the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes as the first leg of the Triple Crown on Saturday.

The Triple Crown joins a long list of sporting events to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only has the order of it been affected but the individual races have also seen changes as well. 

While it’s too early to say whether the Kentucky Derby, which is now on Sept. 5, and the Preakness Stakes—the final leg of the Triple Crown on Oct. 3—will be run with a crowd in attendance, the Belmont Stakes won’t have fans. However, there are plenty of virtual ways to enjoy the race.

Another change to the 152nd running of the Belmont is its length. While traditionally contested at 1½ miles, this year’s edition will be run over a distance of 1⅛ miles "to properly account for the schedule adjustments to the Triple Crown series and overall calendar for three-year-olds in training,” according to the New York Racing Association.

Starting at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, there will be three hours of live coverage on NBC. Post time will be at approximately 5:42 p.m. ET.

The field will be finalized on Wednesday, when post positions are drawn at 12 p.m. ET.

Per the official Belmont Stakes website, here are the 2020 contenders:

Tiz The Law

Modernist

Max Player

Sole Volante

Dr Post

Pneumatic

Farmington Road

Jungle Runner

Tap It To Win

Tiz The Law is the overwhelming favorite to win the Belmont on Saturday. The last time the three-year-old raced was on March 28, when he won the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. He has won four of his five career starts. 

The colt is no stranger to the surface at Belmont Park, winning the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes last October at the course after overcoming an early stumble.

Sole Volante pulled off a come-from-behind win amid a packed field—including three Kentucky Derby hopefuls—last week at Gulfstream Park, beating out Ete Indien to win at 5-2 odds with a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

At first, it was unclear whether the horse would compete in the Belmont Stakes, as he would have just 10 days between races. However, owner Dean Reeves confirmed he will race at Belmont:

Sole Volante may pose one of the biggest threats to Tiz The Law at the weekend, with Tap It To Win and Pneumatic following close behind.

It will be interesting to see how the Belmont Stakes runs, as it has always been chock full of horses who have already run the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Now, the winner at Belmont will become the one to watch in a Triple Crown series that will be like no other in history.