Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
A Triple Crown won’t be on the line this year, but the June 10 Belmont Stakes promises to be one of the year’s highlight events, as some of the best 3-year-old Thoroughbreds in the sport compete at a taxing 1 ½-mile distance none of them have ever tried before in front of an on-track crowd estimated to exceed 45,000.
Post time is cheduled for approximately 6:50 p.m. EDT.
Whether you are interested in making a couple of bucks on the race or just want to know a little bit about this year’s runners, we’ve got you covered with our 2017 Belmont Stakes Cheat Sheet. We will rearrange this list in post-position order following Wednesday’s draw and add morning-line odds
Classic Empire
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Trainer: Mark Casse
Owner: John Oxley
Career record: 9 starts – 5 wins – 1 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $2,520,220
Earnings per start: $280,024
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 116
Pedigree: Pioneerof the Nile – Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief
Color: Bay
Running style: Press the pace/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Trainer Mark Casse was very confident that his champion colt would bounce back from an unlucky trip in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, and bounce back he did, nearly winning the Preakness Stakes. Classic Empire dismissed Derby winner Always Dreaming coming out of the far turn at Pimlico and appeared to have the Preakness in hand, but he idled a bit once clear of the field and, according to Casse, did not see Cloud Computing come up to his outside. Classic Empire did appear to re-rally once he did spot Cloud Computing, and overall there’s no questioning his competitiveness. He’s likely to be the post-time favorite in the Belmont Stakes, having earned over $1.5 million more than the next richest horse in the field, and he’s a must-use in all exotic bets. Young stallion Pioneerof the Nile, himself a son of 2003 Belmont winner Empire Maker, already has sired a Belmont winner in 2015 Triple Crown hero American Pharoah. Owner John Oxley’s 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos finished third in that year’s Belmont. Classic Empire will be Mark Casse’s first Belmont starter. Julien Leparoux has ridden in the Belmont four times, and has finished third twice – with Anak Nakal in 2008 (in a dead heat) and with Atigun in 2013.
Epicharis
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
Trainer: Kiyoshi Hagiwara
Owner: U Carrot Farm
Career record: 5 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $920,285
Earnings per start: $184,057
Top Equibase Speed Figure: N/A
Pedigree: Gold Allure – Stapes Mitsuko, by Carnegie
Color: Dark bay or brown
Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Notable achievements and interesting facts: This Japanese invader enters the Belmont with four wins from five starts, with his only loss coming in the United Arab Emirates Derby Sponsored by the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group back in March, where he led for nearly the entire race before yielding to Thunder Snow in the final yards. In the UAE Derby and in his race before that – the Hyacinth Stakes contested at about a mile in Japan back in February – he displayed a nice, fluid cruising speed that could translate well to Belmont’s mile and a half distance. He had enough qualifying points to make the Kentucky Derby, but his connections chose to target the Belmont Stakes instead, which is another positive. Last year, Japan-based Lani closed nicely to finish third in the Belmont. Epicharis’ sire, Gold Allure, is a son of 1989 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Sunday Silence, who went on to become the most accomplished sire in Japanese breeding. Gold Allure displayed stamina as a racehorse, winning 8 of 16 starts at an average of over nine furlongs, and he’s sired several accomplished horses, led by top-class miler Espoir City. Epicharis’ dam (mother), Stapes Mitsuko, was a modestly accomplished sprinter, but she has produced a half-brother to Epicharis (same mother, different father) who won a stakes race at 1 ¼ miles.
Gormley
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Owners: Jerry and Ann Moss
Career record: 7 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $920,000
Earnings per start: $131,429
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 116
Pedigree: Malibu Moon – Race to Urga, by Bernstein
Color: Bay
Running style: Press the pace/stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: On June 5, John Shirreffs confirmed that his Santa Anita Derby winner would ship to New York for the Belmont, following a good workout at Santa Anita Park on June 3 where Gormley wore blinkers for the first time. Gormley will likely be part of the front pack of contenders in the Belmont Stakes, as he won the Santa Anita Derby after stalking a trio of pacesetting horses. He was put in a similar position by Victor Espinoza in the Kentucky Derby, only to come up empty when asked for his best at the top of the homestretch. He’s alternated good and bad performances since last fall, and thus is due for a better effort in the Belmont. Giacomo, who won the 2005 Kentucky Derby for Jerry and Ann Moss and John Shirreffs, finished seventh to Afleet Alex in the Belmont, and Tiago finished third behind Rags to Riches and Curlin in 2007 for the same connections. Victor Espinoza, who will be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in August, has ridden in five Belmonts, three of them with a Triple Crown on the line: War Emblem (eighth after stumbling badly at the start in 2002); California Chrome (dead-heat for fourth in an agonizing loss for many in 2014); and American Pharoah (a history-making Triple Crown win in 2015 after a 37-year wait).
Hollywood Handsome
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Dallas Stewart
Owners: Mark and Nancy Stanley
Career record: 9 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 3 thirds
Career earnings: $123,430
Earnings per start: $13,714
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98
Pedigree: Tapizar – Ladyflickerflacker, by Forestry
Color: Bay
Running style: Stalker/closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt could very well be the longest shot in the Belmont Stakes once the gates open, and would seem to be up against it compared with several other contenders. In his most recent start, he was all out to defeat front-running Grandpa’s Dream in a Churchill Downs Mother’s Day allowance at 1 1/16 miles. In his prior two starts, he was never a threat when fifth in the Illinois Derby, and before that a mildly-rallying fourth in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby. His pedigree suggests that a mile is his best distance, and his most impressive performance to date came on a muddy track at Fair Grounds when he broke his maiden back in January. All that said, trainer Dallas Stewart has made a lot of noise on the Triple Crown trail in recent years by hitting the board with huge longshots – recall runners-up Golden Soul and Commanding Curve in the 2013 and 2014 Kentucky Derbys and Tale of Verve in the 2015 Preakness. Stewart’s best finish with seven Belmont starters came in his first try, when Dollar Bill checked in fourth in 2001. This will be Florent Geroux’s second consecutive Belmont start; he was 12th last year aboard Stewart’s Seeking the Soul.
Irish War Cry
Jockey: Rajiv Maragh
Trainer: Graham Motion
Owner: Isabelle de Tomaso
Career record: 6 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $669,460
Earnings per start: $116,577
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 110
Pedigree: Curlin – Irish Sovereign, by Polish Numbers
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Graham Motion confirmed on June 4 that his talented Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets winner would ship back to the Empire State from Fair Hill to contest the Belmont, and based on his best past performances – the Wood and his win in the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes – Irish War Cry would appear to have several things going for him as a viable Belmont Stakes contender. He has a high cruising speed and has shown the ability to rate comfortably just off of the lead as he did in the Wood behind Battalion Runner, which could serve him well in the Belmont if jockey Rajiv Maragh decides against setting the pace. His puzzling no-show in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes earlier this year remains a concern, and he also disappointed in the Kentucky Derby, when he appeared to be set to challenge Always Dreaming at the top of the stretch before fading to finish tenth. His running style in many ways mirrors that of his sire, two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, who tended to wear down his opponents with a steady but powerful grind rather than with push-button acceleration. Curlin was outfinished by Rags to Riches when second in the 2007 Belmont, and he has a Belmont winner as a stallion with 2012 hero Palace Malice. Graham Motion has sent horses to three Belmont Stakes, finishing sixth twice, most recently with 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. Maragh’s best finish in four Belmont tries came in 2014, when Wicked Strong dead-heated with California Chrome for fourth. Seven horses bred in New Jersey have won the Belmont Stakes, but none since Prince Eugene in 1913.
J Boys Echo
Jockey: Robby Albarado
Trainer: Dale Romans
Owner: Albaugh Family Stable
Career record: 7 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Career earnings: $349,600
Earnings per start: $49,943
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 103
Pedigree: Mineshaft – Letgomyecho, by Menifee
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Dale Romans is high on his colt’s chances for a big rebound in the Belmont Stakes after J Boys Echo was bounced around early in the Kentucky Derby and never made an impression, finishing 15th. He will be one of several closers who will try to capitalize on a pace meltdown, should that occur, but as Bob Ehalt points out, recent editions of the Belmont Stakes have favored horses who are near the lead through most of the race. In his three starts prior to the Kentucky Derby during his 3-year-old season, he sandwiched modest closing rallies in both the Withers Stakes in February and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in April between his career-best race, a 3 ½-length score over subsequent Preakness Stakes winner Cloud Computing in the Gotham Stakes. Mineshaft, Horse of the Year in 2003, is a decent stamina sire, represented by horses such as 2010 Belmont runner-up Fly Down. Robby Albarado was J Boys Echo’s regular jockey through the early part of this year but missed the Derby due to injury. He’s back aboard for the Belmont, and will shoot for his first win in the New York classic after finishing second twice (with Curlin in 2007 and Denis of Cork in 2008) in five previous attempts. This will mark Romans’ eighth Belmont try; he has finished third four previous times, most recently with Keen Ice – American Pharoah’s eventual Travers Stakes nemesis – in 2015. Brody’s Cause, owned by Albaugh Family Stable and trained by Romans, finished sixth in last year’s Belmont.
Lookin At Lee
Jockey: Corey Lanerie
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Owner: L and N Racing
Career record: 11 starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds
Career earnings: $942,795
Earnings per start: $85,709
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 101
Pedigree: Lookin At Lucky – Langara Lass, by Langfuhr
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: This hard-trying type joins Classic Empire as the only 3-year-olds to contest all three Triple Crown races in 2017, and by now his reputation is ironclad – he’ll settle at or near the back of the pack for as long as possible, and then try to time his closing charge just right in order to cash a nice, if not winning, paycheck. For a horse whose only two wins in 11 starts came at Ellis Park last summer, earning over $940,000 is admirable in and of itself. He did not get the same dream trip in the Preakness Stakes as he got when finishing second in the Kentucky Derby, but was still only a half-length out of third place. Despite the general lack of success for closers in the Belmont in recent years, and a distance pedigree and Equibase Speed Figure history that are a cut below the top Belmont contenders, he’s a must-include in all trifecta and superfecta tickets. Lookin At Lee will be Corey Lanerie’s first Belmont Stakes mount. Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen broke through with his first win in the New York classic last year when Creator scored a 16.40-1 upset. He nearly won the race in his first attempt back in 2007 with the great Curlin, and will be making his fifth overall appearance this year.
Meantime
Jockey: Mike Smith
Trainer: Brian Lynch
Owner: Silverton Hill LLC
Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third
Career earnings: $83,470
Earnings per start: $20,935
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106
Pedigree: Shackleford – Livermore Leslie, by Mt. Livermore
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Notable achievements and interesting facts: He’s lightly raced but talented, entering the Belmont off of only four career starts, all coming this year during his 3-year-old campaign. After finishing second to fellow Belmont foe Patch in his career debut at Gulfstream Park in February at odds of 53.60-1, he then ran third to subsequent stakes-placed Time to Travel as the odds-on favorite in a seven-furlong maiden at Gulfstream before shipping to Kentucky and Keeneland Race Course. There, he romped in a 1 1/8-mile maiden by 7 ½ lengths. That performance convinced his connections to try a graded stakes, and he turned in a decent effort on May 13 in the Grade 2, 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park when runner-up to the highly-regarded Timeline. Meantime earned a career-best 106 Equibase Speed Figure in the Peter Pan. Both of his most recent starts came on off tracks, so his chances to hit the board in the Belmont, while still remote, should improve if rain affects “Big Sandy” on June 10. He will be a definite pace presence in the race along with Epicharis, Patch, Irish War Cry, and Twisted Tom. His pedigree comes up a bit short for the Belmont Stakes however, which is a concern. Shackleford, winner of the 2011 Preakness, gave a good effort in the Belmont but could not stay the distance and finished fifth. Meantime’s dam, Livermore Leslie, produced two very accomplished fillies in multiple stakes winners Sweet Reason (who was best at seven furlongs to a mile) and Don’t Forget Gil (who did finish a close second in the 1 ¼-mile Coaching Club American Oaks but fared better at one mile to 1 1/16 miles). This will be the first Belmont starter for trainer Brian Lynch and Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton’s Silverton Hill. Getting Mike Smith’s services for the Belmont is a major plus, as the Hall of Fame rider has won the race twice in 18 starts – with Drosselmeyer in 2010 and Palace Malice in 2013.
Multiplier
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Owners: Gary Barber, Adam Wachtel, George Kerr
Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Career earnings: $187,310
Earnings per start: $37,462
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: The Factor – Trippi Street, by Trippi
Color: Bay
Running style: Closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: He had to steady slightly in early stretch during his Preakness run but made up some ground to finish sixth, and this improving colt is capable of a better performance in the Belmont. The Preakness marked the first time in five career starts that he finished out of the money, and one of the best jockeys in New York’s loaded colony, Joel Rosario, retains the mount on Multiplier for the Belmont – a very good sign. Pedigree is a concern, however, as both his sire The Factor and his broodmare sire Trippi were sprinters. He’s one of several closers in the Belmont field, and Rosario may position him at the front of that rear guard in order to get first jump on the pacesetters coming out of Belmont’s sweeping second turn. This is the first Belmont Stakes for trainer Brendan Walsh and his ownership group, which purchased Multiplier after his Illinois Derby win. Rosario won the 2014 Belmont aboard Tonalist and has finished second once (2015 with Frosted) and third twice in six appearances.
Patch
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owner: Calumet Farm
Career record: 4 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $230,020
Earnings per start: $57,505
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 105
Pedigree: Union Rags – Windyindy, by A.P. Indy
Color: Bay
Running style: Press
Notable achievements and interesting facts: In addition to having one of the most popular backstories among any colt in this year’s group of Triple Crown contenders, Patch also has plenty of upside, and the “Test of the Champion” will be his next proving ground after trainer Todd Pletcher confirmed that he would join the field last week. He was assigned a very tough post in the Kentucky Derby and, like many others in the race, had a rough trip when finishing 14th. He’s had two maintenance works since for Pletcher and will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who won the Derby aboard Always Dreaming, for the Belmont Stakes. His running style as a pace presser is suitable for the Belmont, and he also sports one of the best pedigrees for the testing 1 ½-mile classic, as his sire is a Belmont winner (Union Rags) and his dam (mother) is by the highly influential stamina sire A.P. Indy, who won the 1992 Belmont. Patch developed his own adoring fan base leading up to in this year’s Derby, after the story about the infection and subsequent removal of his left eye was told by various media outlets. Despite his name aligning with his vision, Patch’s name was a play on his sire’s moniker, before the ailment that caused the loss of his eye. Pletcher and Velazquez teamed up to win the 2007 Belmont when the great filly Rags to Riches bested Curlin. This year will mark Velazquez’s 21st Belmont Stakes appearance; he won aboard Union Rags in 2012 and also finished second three times. Patch will be the 13th starter for Calumet Farm in the Belmont; Whirlaway and Citation captured the Triple Crown with Belmont wins in 1941 and 1943 when the storied farm was owned by the Wright family. Current owner Brad Kelley has sent one horse to the Belmont wearing his Calumet colors, when Preakness winner Oxbow finished second behind Palace Malice in 2013.
Senior Investment
Jockey: Channing Hill
Trainer: Kenny McPeek
Owner: Fern Circle Stables
Career record: 9 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 2 thirds
Career earnings: $372,080
Earnings per start: $41,342
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107
Pedigree: Discreetly Mine – Plaid, by Deputy Commander
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Stalker/closer
Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt validated his impressive win in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes with a solid third-place effort in the Preakness, and trainer Kenny McPeek said immediately after the race in Maryland that the Belmont Stakes was his target for Senior Investment. Last winter, he finished first in three consecutive route races (and was disqualified for interference from one of them) by stalking the pace in midpack, but in the three races since then – all graded stakes – he’s settled near the back of the field and made one sustained late run. Jockey Channing Hill, making his first start in the Belmont, will have to make smart decisions traveling around the track’s vast expanse in order to set up this colt’s closing charge to fire at just the right moment. Sire Discreetly Mine is a grandson of A.P. Indy and a son of Mineshaft (the sire of J Boys Echo) but was a sprinter on the racetrack. Kenny McPeek trained the biggest-paying Belmont winner in history, 70.25-1 shot Sarava in 2002. He also saddled Atigun to a third-place finish in 2012 in five total appearances. Senior Investment is the first graded stakes winner for Fern Circle Stables, headed by former Reebok CEO Paul Fireman.
Tapwrit
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Owners: Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta
Career record: 7 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $342,902
Earnings per start: $49,129
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 106
Pedigree: Tapit – Appealing Zophie, by Successful Appeal
Color: Gray or roan
Running style: Stalker
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Like several others in the Belmont field, he prefers to come from off of the pace, and his connections are still hoping this high-priced, striking gray colt will recapture the form he showed when winning the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby by 4 ½ lengths. He subsequently made little impression in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes when finishing fifth, and then checked in sixth in the Kentucky Derby after having to steady at the start along with Classic Empire and several others when Irish War Cry veered out sharply from the gate. Tapwrit did show some grit to keep running on through the stretch in the Derby despite his rough trip, and trainer Todd Pletcher has kept him sharp with three maintenance workouts at Belmont Park since then. He has a good pedigree for the Belmont Stakes, as his sire Tapit – who has led the North American sire list three times – is represented by recent Belmont winners Tonalist (2014) and Creator (2016). He is also related to several high-class stakes winners through his female family, as his dam (mother) is Grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie. Co-owner Robert LaPenta has sent six horses to the Belmont, and visited the winner’s circle in 2008 after Da’ Tara scored a front-running, 38.50-1 upset victory. His Andromeda’s Hero also finished second behind Afleet Alex in 2005. Todd Pletcher has run 22 horses in the Belmont, and in addition to his two wins with Rags to Riches and Palace Malice he’s finished second five times, most recently with Destin last year who lost to Creator by a nose in a thrilling finish. This will be jockey Jose Ortiz’s third Belmont start, with his best placing coming in his 2014 debut when he finished sixth aboard Samraat.
Twisted Tom
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owners: Cobra Farm
Career record: 6 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Career earnings: $209,040
Earnings per start: $34,840
Top Equibase Speed Figure: 93
Pedigree: Creative Cause – Tiffany Twisted, by Thunder Gulch
Color: Chestnut
Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace
Notable achievements and interesting facts: This New York-bred gelding would seem to be overmatched against the other Belmont contenders in terms of speed figures, but can’t be dismissed due to his elite connections and the fact that he enters the Belmont off of three consecutive wins, the most recent two coming in stakes at Laurel Park. Shortly after Cloud Computing won the Preakness, trainer Chad Brown said that he actually thought the 1 ½-mile Belmont was a better fit for Twisted Tom than for his newly minted classic winner, and he made that decision final last week. Brown retains Cloud Computing’s rider Javier Castellano, who will be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame later this summer, for Twisted Tom in the Belmont. The gelding should be a factor in the Belmont’s early stages at the very least, as two of his four career wins have come when setting or pressing the pace. His top Equibase Speed Figure of 93 leaves a lot to be desired, however. His sire (father), Creative Cause, was a Grade 1 winner in an abbreviated racing career and is by good stamina sire Giant’s Causeway. In addition to carrying name appeal for fans of the Eagles’ “Hotel California,” his dam Tiffany Twisted won at 1 ¼ miles during her racing career and is by 1995 Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch. This will be the first Belmont appearance for Gary and Betty Biszantz’s Cobra Farm, recognized within the industry for their efforts in Thoroughbred aftercare. Brown, who received the Eclipse Award as outstanding trainer in 2016, has had one prior Belmont starter in 2012 fourth-place finisher Street Life. Castellano, who has won four consecutive Eclipse Awards, is seeking his first Belmont win. He’s had 10 prior Belmont mounts, and finished second three times in close finishes – with Stay Thirsty in 2011, Commissioner in 2012 and Destin last year. Ruler On Ice, who defeated Stay Thirsty in 2011, is one of two geldings to win the Belmont, along with 1985 winner Crème Fraiche.
