Belmont Stakes 2021: Prize Money Purse, Post Time, Vegas Odds Payouts and More

Essential Quality's trip through the Triple Crown circuit did not go as planned.

The Kentucky Derby favorite failed to place in the top three at Churchill Downs and did not compete at the Preakness Stakes. He has one more chance to win one of the crown jewels of American horse racing Saturday at the Belmont Stakes.

With no Triple Crown up for grabs, only eight horses are entered into the field at Belmont Park. Essential Quality is the favorite on the morning line.

Five of the eight competitors are listed at 10-1 or lower on the morning line. That would suggest Saturday's race will be tough to win, but Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie have edges over the other contenders.

2021 Belmont Stakes Info

Date: Saturday, June 5

Post Time: 6:47 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC

Purse: $1.5 million 

Post Positons and Odds

1. Bourbonic (15-1)

2. Essential Quality (2-1)

3. Rombauer (3-1)

4. Hot Rod Charlie (7-2)

5. France Go de Ina (30-1)

6. Known Agenda (6-1)

7. Rock Your World (9-2)

8. Overtook (20-1)

Odds via BelmontStakes.com.

Essential Quality entered the Triple Crown circuit as the favorite to make a run at North American racing's biggest prize.

A bad start and a fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby ended that dream before it could become a reality.

On Saturday, Essential Quality faces a few familiar competitors from the Kentucky Derby, including Hot Rod Charlie and Known Agenda.

Hot Rod Charlie and Known Agenda are respectively third and fourth on the morning line, but they could move ahead of Rombauer by post time.

Rombauer is the second favorite because of his surprising victory at the Preakness Stakes, where he ended Medina Spirit's Triple Crown push. Rombauer has one other win in his career from the El Camino Real Derby in February. The race after that produced a third-place finish behind Essential Quality at the Blue Grass Stakes.

The Preakness winner's resume is a mixed bag. He had a fifth-place finish at the Breeders' Cup juvenile, which was his biggest race prior to his success at Pimlico Race Course.

Conversely, Essential Quality did nothing but win on his path to the Kentucky Derby, and his fourth-place mark at Churchill Downs was still a respectable result. With fewer horses in the field, Essential Quality should be able to show off his talent and break to the front of the field.

Hot Rod Charlie will likely end up as Essential Quality's top challenger. He took third at the Kentucky Derby and ended up in second behind the Belmont favorite at the Breeders' Cup juvenile. In fact, the Belmont finish could be the same as that race in November since Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie have the best results out of the pack.

A long-shot winner, such as Rombauer at the Preakness, seems unlikely given the top horses in the field. France Go de Ina, Overtook or Bourbonic may end up in the top three or four, but it would be a massive surprise if any of them challenged for the victory.