.2017 Belmont Stakes - Updated Wednesday, June 5 after Post Position Draw. RSS. TWISTED TOM (Odds 20/1) - PP1. The Belmont is a huge class test for this horse, but I love the way he's developed. I do think he can stay a mile and a half, I think the longer the better for him, so I'm anxious to get him out to that distance, but it'll be a. The 2017 Belmont Stakes will take place Saturday, June 10, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The Belmont is the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, which includes the Kentucky Derby. New York-bred Tiz the Law victorious in Belmont Stakes (G1) Hard-knocking mare Oleksandra rallies to victory in Jaipur presented by America's Best Racing (G1) Gamine records fastest-ever Longines Acorn (G1) time in 18 3/4-length romp. 2017: Tapwrit: Jose L. Ortiz: 2:30.02: 2016: Creator: Irad Ortiz Jr. 2:28.51: 2015: American Pharoah: Victor Espinoza: 2:26.65: 2014: Tonalist: Joel Rosario: 2:28.52: 2013: Palace Malice: Mike Smith: 2:30.70: 2012: Union Rags: John Velazquez: 2:30.42: 2011: Ruler On Ice: Kelly J. Breen: 2:30:88: 2010: Drosselmeyer: William I. Mott: 2:31.57: 2009: Summer Bird: Tim Ice: 2:27.54: 2008: DaTara: Nicholas P.

The field for the running of the 2017 Belmont Stakes(G1) is nearing completion and with that in mind a field of thirteen is expected to be drawn at 11:00 am on Wednesday at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Here is my detailed analysis of the field along with Brian Zipse’s morning line. Also remember to watch this week’s edition of HorseCenter where Brian and I will give wagering suggestions for the Belmont and talk about the spectacular undercard.

SCR Classic Empire [8-5] - Pioneerof the Nile – Casse - 9: 5-1-1 - $2,520,220] Classic Empire gets a checkmark in many important boxes – leading money winner, top speed figures, ideal running style, best overall Triple Crown performances, and this absolutely makes him the horse to beat. However, history is not on his side. When you look beyond American Pharoah, the recent history of losing favorites and the inability of horses to win the Belmont after they have run in the Derby and Preakness are major negative factors. The one to beat, but this is a big challenge. SCRATCHED due to hoof abscess.

Epicharis (JPN) [8-1] - Gold Allure - Hagiwara – 5: 4-1-0 - $920,285] Epicharis, who was the leader of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and who opted not to run at Churchill Downs on the First Saturday in May, now comes to the Belmont Stakes chasing a $1,000,000 bonus should he win the Test of the Champion. This year’s race will mark the very first time that a Triple Crown race will be simulcast to Japan. What could be a very large amount of money will be wagered into a separate pool from our North American betting. Last year, the Japanese bet more than $40 million on the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe.

In 2016 there were only 15 graded stakes races on the dirt at all of the tracks in Japan. At Tokyo Racecourse, where Epicharis won two of his races, there is just one grade one stake and three grade threes on the dirt. The track record for one mile at Tokyo is 1:34. In comparison, Epicharis’ most recent victory came at Tokyo in the ungraded Hyacinth Stakes in a time of 1:37-4 for the mile distance. All of the winning times in his races have been far slower than what is expected from dirt horses in America and this is where my concern about Epicharis begins. I believe that he is facing a significant step up in class in the Belmont Stakes. In addition, Epicharis will be the first American starter for Hagiwara, who trains 55 horses in Japan.

Make no mistake about it, the presence of Epicharis gives the race a lot of interesting angles and enlarges the Triple Crown audience significantly and I am in favor of that. Making a significant step up in class.

Gormley[15-1] - Malibu Moon – Shirreffs – 7: 4-0-0 - $920,000] Still listed in the possible category for the race, trainer John Shirreffs will wait until the last minute to decide if he is coming east. Since his victory in the Sham in January, his speed figures have declined every race and that certainly is not the sign of a horse that is ready to go a mile and a half. His last two figures, including his win in the Santa Anita Derby do not make him competitive in this race. At best, Gormley is a hit or miss horse and it would be tough to expect the Belmont Stakes to be a race in which he returns to top form. [NOTE: Gormley is now committed to run in the Belmont.] Inconsistent at best.

Hollywood Handsome[40-1] - Tapizar – Stewart – 9: 2-0-3 - $123,430] Initially Hollywood Handsome was on the list of Belmont runners, but trainer Dallas Stewart pulled him to wait for the Ohio Derby. It seems that the connections have had a change of heart in the past few days.

“I think a lot of the colt, and I think he's going to like the distance. I think the mile and a half will be no problem,” said Stewart. I think we've got a good shot. Just the distance, I think, is going to be right up our alley.'

Stewart has a history of bringing longshots to Triple Crown races and then hitting the board, that alone means that this son of Tapizar deserves a second look. He has only two wins to his credit both of them came this year with an allowance at Churchill Downs in his most recent race. Two stakes tries on the Derby Trail yielded a fifth and fourth place finish. Needs the Dallas Stewart magic.

Irish War Cry[5-1] - Curlin – Motion – 6: 4-0-0 - $699,460] This son of Curlin has the resume to win the Belmont Stakes. His best races have been high quality performances and he has the potential to get out with the pace setters and be right there from start to finish.

'I think sometimes we overthink these things a little bit. Right after the Derby, I was just so discouraged that I didn't even want to think about another Triple Crown race,' Motion said. 'Watching him train and seeing how well he's doing being back at Fair Hill and then seeing the result of the Preakness, obviously he's run well with those horses before. It made me think more about it. It's a Classic, it only comes around once in a horse's lifetime and I think he deserves another chance.'

Draw a line through the Derby, look at his best speed figures, and he is a dangerous horse. A threat to win.

J Boys Echo[30-1] - Mineshaft – Romans – 7: 2-1-1 - $349,600] The same thing can be said about J Boys Echo that was said about others in the Belmont, that on his best day he is good enough to win the race. This Dale Romans colt did no running in the Derby and very little in the Blue Grass after bad starts in each. However, a repeat of his performance in the Gotham over the Preakness winner, Cloud Computing, makes him a threat in the Belmont. He will need to stay nearer to the early pace and not become a deep closer. Can he find his Gotham performance again?

Lookin At Lee[8-1] - Lookin At Lucky – Asmussen – 11: 2-3-2 - $942,795] I have nothing but respect for Lookin At Lee. He never runs a bad race and always comes running at the end. Steve Asmussen is making a rider change to try and stay closer to the early pace, otherwise he could get hopelessly far behind in the Belmont. It has been a long campaign with three races on the Derby trail and the first two stops in Triple Crown. Not this time.

Meantime[30-1] - Shackleford – Lynch – 4: 1-2-1 - $83,740] This lightly raced son of Shackleford has hit the board in all four of his starts with the last two coming on wet tracks. His races are improving and his recent second in the Peter Pan behind the talented, Timeline, was his best yet. The big Belmont field is going to be a very tough challenge for him. Expect him to have an impact on the early pace of the race. Too much distance and too many good horses.

Multiplier[30-1] - The Factor – Walsh – 5: 2-1-1 - $187,310] Multiplier is a horse who has improved throughout his career and really has never run a bad race. Math fans, like myself, certainly appreciate his name. His last two speed figures have been as good as many of the second-tier horses in this race. Is it possible that Multiplier could improve off of his less than optimal trip in the Preakness? He will need to stay closer rather than farther behind going the twelve furlongs because there are probably better deep closers than him. Chance for continued improvement.

Patch[20-1] - Union Rags – Pletcher – 4: 1-2-0 - $230,020] The smaller field and a better post-position draw will improve the chances of the one-eyed horse that captivated the Kentucky Derby Crowd. Patch is by Union Rags, who won the 2012 Belmont after running in the Derby and skipping the Preakness. Can Union Rags join the other 14 Belmont winners who went on to sire a Belmont Winner?

Patch had very little chance in the Derby after breaking from the far outside and getting jostled around early. His second place in the Louisiana Derby was promising, but he will have to improve on that even if the performance at Churchill Downs is dismissed. Trainer Todd Pletcher does well when his runners skip the Preakness while aiming for the Belmont. Improvement expected.

Senior Investment[15-1] - Discreetly Mine – McPeek - 9: 3-0-2 - $372,080] Senior Investment is one of the most interesting horses in the field. The Kenny McPeek runner has shown improvement in every one of his 2017 races. He made a big closing run to win the Lexington, late on the Derby Trail, but that performance was pretty much dismissed because of the weak field. He backed that win up with his third-place finish in the Preakness at 31-1 that earned a speed figure on par with many of the Belmont contenders. Can this Kenny McPeek runner make another step-up to be a threat to win the race? He is another horse that needs to be closer to the early pace than in the Preakness. Trifecta contender, for sure.

Tapwrit[6-1] - Tapit – Pletcher – 7: 3-1-0 - $343,902] Tapwrit is another horse that can contend for the Belmont win if he can run his best race. His last two starts were filled with trouble. A rough trip from the 16 hole in the Derby ended with a respectable sixth place finish. In the Blue Grass he broke very badly and lost all chance. His two Derby preps in Tampa flashed his talent. The Pletcher Derby to Belmont angle is in full force with this son of Tapit. The 27-1 odds from the Derby will be long gone on his home track in New York and he is likely to offer very little value to win bettors. A major contender for the win.

Twisted Tom[20-1] - Creative Cause – Chad Brown – 6: 4-0-0 - $209,040] New York-bred Twisted Tom has won three races in a row and has shown improvement in all of them, but has not posted a speed figure that fits with most of this field. He will need some of the Chad Brown magic that has been filling winning circles around the country in 2017. Brown is winning at this Belmont meeting at a 33% clip while finishing in the money at 62%. Another improvement will be needed.

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The 149th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place on June 10, 2017 at Belmont Park in Elmwood, New York. The race is the final leg of the Triple Crown and is limited to 16 starters who’ll race on Belmont’s dirt track for a distance of a mile and a half. In recent years, the Belmont has been the site of the biggest stories in racing. In 2014, California Chrome took a shot at becoming the 12^th Triple Crown winner in history but fell short in his quest. That set the stage for 2015 when American Pharoah sealed the deal and joined horse racing’s immortals as a Triple Crown winner.

The big story this year is likely who won’t be running in the race. Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Preakness winner Cloud Computing are passing on the Belmont Stakes. The flip side of this situation is that it should be a wide open race which could mean a big payday with an underdog winner.

The contender field will be finalized on Wednesday, June 7. Once the field is finalized the post positions for the Belmont will be assigned and morning line odds set. Below is a rundown of likely entrants—check back often for updates:

–Conquest Mo Money: Didn’t run in the Kentucky Derby, finished 7^th in the Preakness. Had a decent Derby prep campaign with second place finishes in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby and Grade 2 Sunland Derby. Trained by Miguel Hernandez with jockey Jorge Carreno likely to be aboard. Most observers think that Conquest Mo Money could be a decent horse at a lower level of racing but is in over his head here.

–Epicharis: What do you say about a Japanese horse with two career races, neither of which were in the United States? He broke his maiden in February at the Hyacinth Stakes in Tokyo but looked solid in a second place run at the Grade 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Race Course in Dubai. Was under consideration for the Preakness but his connections ultimately passed. Very much a question mark that has a strong contingent of railbirds expressing enthusiasm. Depending on the price, might be worth using on exotics. Trained by Kiyoshi Hagiwara with jockey assignment unknown.

–Gormley: Ran out of gas in the Kentucky Derby at 1 ¼ mile but his connections used the weather and muddy track as a rationalization. Won the Santa Anita Derby from off the pace though far from a decisive win. Prevailed by ½ length turning in a mediocre 88 Beyer. Solid trainer in John Shirreffs and an excellent jockey in Victor Espinoza. Plenty of questions about the decision to run him here. With his stamina already in question hard to see the sense in running him at a longer distance.

–Irap: Won the Blue Grass Stakes in a mild upset. Unimpressive in the Sunland Derby. The ‘glass half full’ view was that he’d shown improvement every time out. The ‘glass half empty’ view is that he’s faced overmatched opponents his entire career. The latter might be the reality after he laid an egg in the Kentucky Derby finishing 18th. Trainer Doug O’Neill, jockey Mario Gutierrez. Same handicap as for the Kentucky Derby–hard to see him stepping up in competitive class successfully. This is particularly true at a longer distance.

–J Boys Echo: Had never finished lower than 4^th in his career until a 15^th in the Kentucky Derby. Weather and track conditions may have been a factor. This Dale Romans trained entry remains something of a question mark. Got a perfect pace in his first career win in the Grade 3 Gotham turning in a 102 Beyer in the process. Got a terrible pace in the Grade 2 Blue Grass finishing fourth against weak competition. Jockey Luis Saez.

–Lookin at Lee: A lot of ‘wise guys’ were big on Lookin at Lee heading into the Kentucky Derby and their support was validated with a 2^nd place finish at 20-1 odds. Followed that up with a 4^th place run in the Preakness. Trained by Steve Asmussen, jockey Corie Lanerie. This could be a perfect spot for him to win. The pace should be to his liking and everything suggests that he’ll handle the distance well.

–Meantime: Finished second in his stakes debut on this track in the Grade 3 Peter Pan back in May. Broke his maiden in his previous race, a Maiden Special Weight at Keeneland and finished 2^nd in his career debut. A lot to like about this horse who is a powerful speedster but the usual question remains—is he ready for this level of competition after 3 races? Bryan Lynch is the trainer, Jose Ortiz the likely jockey.

Belmont 2017 Horses Race

–Multiplier: This Brendan Walsh trained horse has a lot of fans despite a sixth place finish in the Preakness. Career mirrors so many in the modern three year old scene where connections favor racing lightly early in his career. Finished third in his career debut, a MSW at Fair Grounds before winning his first shot in a stakes race as the took the Grade 3 Illinois Derby. Joel Rosario is the jockey. So many horses enter this race not ready for the competitive class but Multiplier isn’t one of them. Should be a decent bet at significant odds.

Belmont 2017 Horses List

–Patch: The one-eyed horse that became a media darling in the run-up to the Kentucky Derby where he finished 14^th. Second in the Louisiana Derby with a win in his career debut. He has talent but is very raw. He’s a media sensation as he only has one eye—the other eye was removed after an ulcer failed to heal properly. Got a bad draw and bad trip in the Derby and the likely pace in the Belmont should help him. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Belmont 2017 Horses For Sale

–Senior Investment: Strong closing horse that finished third in the Preakness after a ho-hum three year old season up until that point. Won the Grade 3 Lexington at Keeneland but finished 6^th in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby two weeks earlier. Very strong closing fractions in the Preakness have given his supporters hope that this is a perfect spot for him. Needs a dry track to be successful. Trainer Ken McPeek with jockey Channing Hill.

–Tapwrit: Improving horse finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby after a fifth place run in the Blue Grass Stakes. Needs a good trip to be successful but hasn’t found it the last time out. Won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby earlier this year, second in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis and a winner in the Pulpit Stakes. in the Blue Grass. He’s shown improvement every time out and has solid connections with trainer Todd Pletcher. Jose Ortiz was aboard in the Kentucky Derby but he might take the mount on Meantime here.

Belmont 2017 Horses Racing

–Twisted Tom: Original plan was to run him in the May 29 Commentator Handicap at Belmont but his connections are pleased after two straight wins at Laurel to start his three year old career. That likely motivated the decision to take a shot at this race. Could be a horse that is capable of stepping up in class.