The third leg of the Triple Crown is soon going to be here, with the 2021 Belmont Stakes coming right up on June 5. Although there won’t be a Triple Crown winner this year, the event still presents exciting elements to it. We have Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer taking on Hot Rod Charlie and Essential Quality, both of which are top finishers in the Kentucky Derby.

A total of nine horses will take part in the 1.5-mile “Test of the Champion”. Some of the most legendary horses claimed this award throughout the years, which puts it on the radar of bettors and horse racing fans alike. Following a headline that involves Louisville winner testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, the playing field opens up a bit more and makes the Belmont Stakes an even more interesting race to bet on. Medina Spirit won’t take part in the race on Saturday after the horse racing association ruled out Bob Baffert-trained horses can’t participate until Medina Spirit’s secondary sample from the Kentucky Derby is clear.

With that, several names catch our attention, featuring a handful of the world’s top 3-year-old thoroughbreds. Let’s go over this Belmont Stakes preview and see the latest 2021 Belmont Stakes odds favorites, dark horses, and important event details that will help you lock in on winning picks.

2021 Belmont Stakes Race Info

Belmont Stakes week is here!!! ? pic.twitter.com/2Ec8j0ctjt

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) May 31, 2021

• When: Saturday, June 5, 2021, | 3:00 PM ET
• Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, New York, United States
• TV: NBC/NBCSN
• Radio: Sirius 219/XM 201
• Live Stream: NBC Sports

Odds to Win the 2021 Belmont Stakes

• Essential Quality +225
• Rombauer +275
• Hot Rod Charlie +500
• Known Agenda +650
• Rock Your World +650
• Rebels Romance +1100
• Bourbonic +1600
• Overtook +2500
• France Go De Ina +3300

Who are the Favorites to Win the 2021 Belmont Stakes?

Essential Quality

Essential Quality takes on the Belmont coming off a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. This was an underwhelming result for him as many expected the Brad Cox-trained horse to top the list last May. Nevertheless, he remains a top contender in the Belmont Stakes. Essential Quality listed down a 2.90-1 post-time favorite in the Derby, going wide on both turns at Churchill Downs but had a clean run chasing fourth behind pacesetter Medina Spirit. There was even a glimpse of shooting past the third and second-place horses, but the pace proved to be too much. His lineage is suited for enduring a mile and a half, making him a top choice in the upcoming Belmont Stakes. Currently, Essential Quality’s career record boasts 5 wins in 6 starts.

Rombauer

Rombauer was a strong contender in the Triple Crown races last fall, winter, and spring. His previous records highlight a win at the El Camino Real Derby in February. This strong showing brings up his name to the list of favorites. On top of that, his performance in the Preakness Stakes last May adds to his momentum in the Belmont Stakes. Skipping the Kentucky Derby was detrimental to his breakthrough performance in the Preakness, utilizing a familiar stalking style under Flavien Prat during the early and middle stages and then speeding past Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit in midstretch to claim a 3.5-length victory. As it stands, Rombauer holds a record of 3 wins, 1 second, and 1 third-place finish in 7 starts, bringing him up to the favorites list of the Belmont Stakes.

Rock Your World

Rock Your World will break out of the gates in the Belmont Stakes as a legitimate contender. He outlined as a pacesetter in the Kentucky Derby and the Santa Anita Derby, where he finished 4.25 lengths ahead of Medina Spirit. However, Rock Your World was slightly sluggish out of the starting gate and was pinned between horses, losing his chances of claiming an advantageous position. Nonetheless, he is still expected to lead the field heads into the first two turns of Belmont Park. This colt has great potential to hold the racecourse if everything goes to plan. With a promising 3-win record in 4 starts, Rock Your World can deliver good numbers in Belmont and list down above-average post-times.

Who are the Dark Horses of the 2021 Belmont Stakes?

Bourbonic

Even though Bourbonic is a dark horse in the Belmont field, we can’t ignore the fact that he completed a spectacular run at Aqueduct last April. He executed a last-to-first rally in the Wood and recorded a 100 Equibase Speed Figure that is by far one of the best in his career. This earned him a spot in the Kentucky Derby, where he sat on 18th of 19 through the backstretch and passed tired horses to climb up the 13th spot. This time around, we anticipate Bourbonic to break near the back of the field in Belmont and slowly reel in the stretch, and possibly fill out the bottom rung of the superfecta. At the moment, the colt records 3 wins and 1 second-place finish in 7 starts.

Overtook

Coming off a third-place finish in the Peter Pan stakes at Belmont Park last May, we highlight Overtook as one of the dark horses of the upcoming event. Thanks to the colt’s solid distance pedigree in the Belmont Stakes field as the son of the 2007 Belmont runner-up Curlin and out of Grade 1 winner Got Lucky, there’s a good chance that this colt will produce surprising results come game day. Despite average numbers, his appeal as a longshot is enforced by his solid lineage and the fact that there’s still more room for improvement. If he pushes to his full potential, he has a chance to add more interesting elements to the trifecta payout with a late-running third-place finish. Currently, Overtook records 1 win, 1 second, and 2 third-place finishes in 5 starts.

Expert’s Prediction for the 2021 Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes presents an interesting playing field that shines light on both top contenders and dark horses of the event. We predict Rombauer will attempt to snatch a second one after winning the Preakness Stakes. Of course, there are still colts like Hot Rod Charlie and Rock Your World threatening to mix things up in the front of the pack. Meanwhile, we have several overlooked names that involve Bourbonic and Overtook pulling off surprise performances along the way. Ultimately, the 2021 Belmont Stakes is a race you don’t want to miss.

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*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.