Belmont 2021 Post Time, Weather Forecast, Horse Odds, Jockey Info and Race Picks

Essential Quality comes into the 2021 Belmont Stakes as a favorite for the second time on the Triple Crown circuit. 

The fourth-place finisher at Churchill Downs is 2-1 on the morning line for Saturday's conclusion of the three-race sprint over six weeks. 

There is no Triple Crown pursuit involved in Saturday's race, and the field is only eight horses. Even with the small number of competitors, there is plenty of quality in the field. 

That is reflected in the morning-line odds, as five of the eight three-year-old horses are listed at 10-1 or lower. 

Known Agenda could be at a disadvantage among the quintet since he will go through a jockey change. Irad Ortiz was scheduled to ride Known Agenda, but he was injured in a fall on Thursday at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. 

2021 Belmont Stakes Info

Date: Saturday, June 5

Post Time: 6:47 p.m. ET 

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBCSports.com and NBC Sports app

Weather Forecast (via Accuweather): 85 degrees, mostly sunny, 14 miles per hour wind. 

Post Positions and Odds

1. Bourbonic (15-1; Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche)

2. Essential Quality (2-1; Luis Saez)

3. Rombauer (3-1; John Velazquez)

4. Hot Rod Charlie (7-2; Flavien Prat)

5. France Go de Ina (30-1; Ricardo Santana)

6. Known Agenda (6-1; TBD)

7. Rock Your World (9-2; Joel Rosario)

8. Overtook (20-1; Manny Franco)

Race Picks

1. Essential Quality

2. Hot Rod Charlie

3. Rock Your World

4. Bourbonic

5. Known Agenda

6. Rombauer

7. Overtook

8. France Go de Ina

The Belmont Stakes has a chance to be a showdown between the favored horses. 

That would be a change of pace from the first two Triple Crown races. Medina Spirit initially won the Kentucky Derby as a 12-1 horse (although he could still be disqualified after his failed drug test was confirmed). Rombauer captured the Preakness Stakes as a long shot. 

If Essential Quality gets off to a better start than his stumble at the Kentucky Derby, he could end up at the front of the field. 

If Hot Rod Charlie also has a clean start, he could do battle with Essential Quality and produce a similar finish to November's Breeders' Cup juvenile race. 

Essential Quality's November win was part of a four-race winning streak that he took into the Kentucky Derby. 

Hot Rod Charlie was not as prolific, but he turned in a trio of top-three placings in his last three starts, including a third-place mark at the Kentucky Derby. 

Known Agenda, Rock Your World and Bourbonic all competed in the Kentucky Derby, but they all finished in the back of the field. 

Known Agenda could be affected by the uncertainty surrounding his jockey. Trainer Todd Pletcher did not announce a replacement for Ortiz prior to Saturday. 

Rock Your World won over Medina Spirit at the Santa Anita Derby in February, but that is the horse's only significant result compared to the rest of the field. 

Bourbonic has a victory at the Wood Memorial on his resume, but he may be stuck playing catchup alongside Essential Quality from the start.

Rombauer's morning-line price was affected by his Preakness Stakes victory, but with other strong horses in the field, he may disappoint anyone who bets on him. Rombauer has not won back-to-back races and took third in his start alongside Essential Quality at the Blue Grass Stakes. 

France Go de Ina and Overtook are not expected to compete for the win. If either horse wins, it would be viewed as a massive surprise.