Getty ELMONT, NY - JUNE 07: The field starts the 146th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 7, 2014 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Belmont Stakes post time is 6:38 p.m. Eastern today, Saturday, June 8, 2019. The horse race marks the third and final leg of the Triple Crown and takes place at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
There are a total of 11 horses that will line up to race the dirt track for the 151st Run for the Carnations. Below are the current odds.
Everfast 8/1
Global Campaign 10/1
Intrepid Heart 14/1
Joevia 33/1
Master Fencer 11/1
Plus Que Parfait 10/1
Sir Winston 16/1
Spinoff 12/1
Tacitus 8/5
Tax 16/1
War Of Will 2/1
You can watch the Belmont Stakes live on NBC.
Here’s what you need to know:
Tacitus & War of Will Are Both Expected to Do Well in Today’s Race
Tacitus and War of Will enjoy some the shortest odds for the 2019 Belmont Stakes early on. War of Will, despite coming off a win at the 2019 Preakness Stakes, has slightly longer odds than Tacitus.
The circumstances must seem familiar for War of Will’s owner, Gary Barber, and trainer, Mark E. Casse; Tacitus closed at 8/1 for the 2019 Kentucky Derby, vs. War of Will’s 15/1 odds, according to US Racing. While Tacitus skipped the Preakness, War of Will was still a slight underdog to the Bob Baffert-trained Improbable, closing at 4/1 and 5/2, respectively, according to US Racing.
Justify Won the 2018 Belmont Stakes & Secured the Triple Crown
Last year’s Belmont Stakes winner, Justify, took first place to cement his place in history, becoming the 13th horse ever to ride to Triple Crown glory. Justify was only the second Triple Crown winner in the past 40 years — following 2015’s Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah — with a single horse not having won all three races since Affirmed did so in 1978.
With Country House, winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby, missing the Preakness due to illness, horse racing fans have known for nearly a month that 2019 would not see the Triple Crown won in back-to-back years.
Secretariat Holds the Belmont Stakes Speed Record, Finishing the Race in 2:24 Back in 1973
According to AL.com, legendary racehorse Secretariat holds the record for fastest time at the Belmont, finishing the race in 2:24 in 1973. It was a special year for the sport, with Secretariat becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years, following Citation’s 1948 win. But Secretariat didn’t just set the record at the Belmont in 1978; he set the record times for each leg of the Triple Crown, winning the Kentucky Derby in 1:59.4 and the Preakness in 1:53.