The horses for the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes are listed in order of post position, with comments by Joe Drape and Melissa Hoppert of The New York Times. The morning-line odds were set by David Aragona of the New York Racing Association.
Purse: $1.5 million guaranteed
Distance: 1 1/2 miles
Track record: 2:24 (Secretariat, 1973)
Weight: 126 pounds
Post time: Saturday at 6:37 p.m. Eastern
How to watch: NBC has the broadcast, beginning at 4. NBC Sports Network coverage runs beforehand from 2 to 4.
Coverage will also be streamed on NBC Sports Live.
— PICKS
Joe Drape’s win-place-show picks: Vino Rosso, Free Drop Billy, Justify
Melissa Hoppert’s picks: Hofburg, Justify, Vino Rosso
Here’s how we see the field:
1. Justify
Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Mike Smith Odds: 4-5
Drape: We will find out here if he is a horse for the ages, and I wish him and everyone associated with him good luck. I’ll be rooting for, but betting against.
Hoppert: He towers over his peers, both literally and figuratively, and this is his race to lose. But a sixth race since mid-February, especially with the past two coming on sloppy tracks, is a tall task. But I hope he proves me wrong.
2. Free Drop Billy
Trainer: Dale Romans Jockey: Robby Albarado Odds: 30-1
Drape: He lost all chance breaking from the No. 2 post at the Kentucky Derby — so draw a line through that race. That leaves a colt with a grinding style and the stamina to last a mile and a half at a huge price.
Hoppert: His 16th-place Derby finish doesn’t scream bet me, especially because his somewhat-clean trip doesn’t really give him any excuses.
3. Bravazo
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Jockey: Luis Saez Odds: 8-1
Drape: He earned his role as a potential spoiler by giving Justify all he could handle in the closing strides of the Preakness.
Hoppert: This gritty colt with an old-school trainer has put together back-to-back surprising finishes in the Derby (sixth) and the Preakness (second). Don’t leave him out of your exotics.
4. Hofburg
Trainer: Bill Mott Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Odds: 9-2
Drape: This colt deservedly is going to take a lot of money. He is lightly raced, bred for the distance and in expert hands.
Hoppert: A Hall of Fame trainer, a star New York jockey, and a sire, Tapit, who has produced three of the past four Belmont winners. If there’s an upset, this is likely the one who is pulling it off.
5. Restoring Hope
Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Florent Geroux Odds: 30-1
Drape: It’s odd that Baffert would put in a rabbit for a colt like Justify, who is his own rabbit. He has led virtually every step of the way in all his victories.
Hoppert: Justify’s stablemate is in this race to help set the pace. He won’t be around at the finish.
6. Gronkowski
Trainer: Chad Brown Jockey: Jose Ortiz Odds: 12-1
Drape: This one is strictly for New England Patriots fans who will bet him down, then spend hours on talk radio saying Gronk gets no respect.
Hoppert: The overseas invader has never raced on dirt and hasn’t faced competition this talented. Plus, he’ll take money because of his name. Pass.
7. Tenfold
Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. Odds: 12-1
Drape: He finished big in Baltimore and offers a pedigree that is long on stamina. Still, he’s lightly raced and you have to wonder how much the Preakness took out of him.
Hoppert: The sire of this third-place Preakness finisher is Curlin, who had stamina and speed, and his dam is Temptress, by Tapit. It’s certainly tempting to think he will hit the board.
8. Vino Rosso
Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez Odds: 8-1
Drape: Like Free Drop Billy, this colt was compromised at the start of the Derby. Still, he fought on and has been working lights-out at Belmont ever since. The pick.
Hoppert: The ninth-place Derby finisher is also by Curlin (see above), and his dam is a half sister to a Belmont runner-up. The combination of Pletcher (three Belmont wins) and Velazquez (two) puts him above Tenfold in my book.
9. Noble Indy
Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Javier Castellano Odds: 30-1
Drape: This colt should keep Justify and Restoring Hope company into the stretch. He has been fierce in the lane before. He is not the worst long shot on the board.
Hoppert: The speedy 17th-place Derby finisher will also go to the lead, and under the right circumstances, he can maybe hang around for a piece at the end.
10. Blended Citizen
Trainer: Doug O’Neill Jockey: Kyle Frey Odds: 15-1
Drape: This guy has yet to live up to the buzz he has generated on the West Coast. Don’t think there will be a breakthrough today.
Hoppert: He won the Peter Pan on this track, but he’s in over his head at this distance and versus this bunch.
© 2018 The New York Times Company
