Tiz the Law leads racing’s return
Tiz the Law was installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite at Wednesday’s post position draw for Saturday’s 152nd running of the $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park.
The Barclay Tagg-trained multiple Grade I winner will break from the eight post against nine competitors in the 11⁄8 mile test around one turn.
“It could have been worse. I was hoping to get 5 or 6,” said Tagg.
This week’s events mark a return to the national spotlight for horse racing, some 11 weeks after the Kentucky Derby had been scheduled to kick off the Triple Crown on May 2.
The Kentucky Derby will now be run on Sept. 5, with the Preakness closing out the elongated version of the Triple Crown on Oct. 3 due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the Belmont Stakes, traditionally the final jewel of the Triple Crown, to be run as the first leg this year.
NBC Sports will broadcast the 152nd Belmont Stakes on June 20 from 3-6 p.m. ET on NBC, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app, with post time scheduled for 5:42 p.m.
Here’s a look at the 10 horses that will go postward in the Belmont Stakes, including post positions, morning line odds and info on each entrant:
1. TAP IT TO WIN 6-1 Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: John Velazquez
While this son of Tapit has never won outside the allowance ranks, it was his performance in a dominating win at Belmont Park on June 4 that punched his ticket, producing a Beyer Speed Figure of 97, the second-highest number of any horse in the field. In that race, he opened up a 7 1/2 length lead entering the stretch, missing the track record at a mile-1/16 by .54 seconds.
2. SOLE VOLANTE 9-2 Trainer: Patrick Biancone
Jockey: Luca Panici
Winner of the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa on Feb. 20, this son of Karakontie is a true closer. He nearly rallied from last in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 20, finishing second, and will benefit greatly from a quick pace on the front end. He’ll need to stay a little closer to the pace in this one.
3. MAX PLAYER 15-1 Trainer: Linda Rice
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Winner of two straight, including an impressive victory from off the pace in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on Feb. 1 in his last start, the jockey switch to Rosario is important. Sir Winston won last year’s Belmont mainly because Rosario him a great, ground-saving ride.
4. MODERNIST 15-1 Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
In his two career wins, a Maiden race at Aqueduct on Jan. 25 and the Grade 2 Risen Star at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 15, this son of Uncle Mo was on the lead or challenging the pacesetter throughout. In the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in his last start on March 21, he was unable to rally from off the pace, starting from the outside in a 14-horse field and getting struck wide around the first turn.
5. FARMINGTON ROAD 15-1 Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Javier Castellano
A longshot who has never won beyond the maiden ranks, this son of Quality Road will be coming from far off the pace. In the best performance of his career he rallied from last to finish second, beaten a half-length, in the $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes on April 11. He rallied to finish fourth in the Grade 1 Arkansas
Derby on May 2 in his last start.
6. FORE LEFT 30-1
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Rerouted from the Woody Stephens Stakes to the Belmont Stakes on Tuesday by O’Neill, the winner of last year’s Tremont Stakes at Belmont is coming off a wire-to-wire victory in the Group III UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan Race Course in Dubai on Feb. 6. He will be pushing the pace at the front of the field, but it’s unclear he can get the nine furlong distance. His last race was at eight furlongs.
7. JUNGLE RUNNER 50-1 Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez
Expected to be the longest shot in the race, this son of Candy Ride was beaten 22 1/2 lengths behind Charlatan at odds of 60-1 in the Arkansas Derby on May 2 at Oaklawn Park. Earlier this year, he was fifth and last, beaten 22 lengths in the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park, and beaten 18 lengths at odds of 56-1 over a muddy track in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park.
8. TIZ THE LAW 6-5 Trainer: Barclay Tagg
Jockey: Manuel Franco
With four wins in five career starts, this New York-bred son of Constitution is the only Grade 1 winner in the field (Florida Derby, Hopeful Stakes). He likes to come from just off the pace, and his 100 Beyer Speed Figure in the Florida Derby on March 28 is the top number run by any Belmont entrant.
9. DR. POST 5-1
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
After breaking his maiden with a 96 Beyer Speed Figure on March 29 at Gulfstream Park, this Quality Road colt survived a rough trip to win the $75,000 Unbridled Stakes at Gulfstream in his last start on April 25. He’s come from off the pace in both races, and figures to like the Belmont distance.
10. PNEUMATIC 8-1 Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr.
In the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on May 23 at Churchill Downs, this son of Uncle Mo battled for the lead into the stretch before giving way, finishing third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths. He won the first two races of his career, both at Oaklawn Park, including a one-mile allowance race on April 11 in which he came from off the pace.