Belmont Stakes Draw 2021: Schedule, Live-Stream Info for Post Positions Reveal

The nine-horse field for the 2021 Belmont Stakes is set, and the only mystery remaining is which post each competitor will break from on Saturday. 

Post positions aren't seen as big a factor at Belmont Park as they were in the previous two legs of the Triple Crown. With a 1½-mile track ahead of them and a smaller field of challengers, there's bound to be more room for the top horses to operate. 

Still, there are trends that would indicate post position does matter, and any advantage counts in a race as wide open as this one. 

Here's all the information you need to watch Tuesday's post position draw.

Date: Tuesday, June 1

Time: 11 a.m. ET

TV: FS2

Stream: The New York Racing Association, Inc. on YouTube

      

Entries and Odds

Essential Quality 3-1

Rombauer 3-1

Hot Rod Charlie 5-1

Rock Your World 7-1

Known Agenda 7-1

Rebel's Romance 14-1

Bourbonic 25-1

Overtook 25-1

France Go de Ina 40-1

Odds via Oddschecker.

       

Post Position Trends

Unlike the Kentucky Derby, drawing the No. 1 post isn't an ominous sign in the Belmont. The inside post has produced the most winners (23) on the mile-and-a-half track. 

The third and fifth posts are tied for the second-most winners at 13, while No. 9 has yielded the fewest winners with three. 

As for general trends this year, the fourth post has produced the most winners in 2021 on the main track in races over a mile, per the New York Racing Association. In general, the further outside a horse starts, the less chance it has of winning. 

The worst post in 2021 has been the No. 7 gate, which has yielded just one winner in 24 attempts. The Nos. 7, 8 and 9 gates have produced just four winners combined. 

These aren't prohibitive trends, though. There are a lot of talented horses in the field and no distinct favorite. But if you're stuck between two horses, the one with the inside post could have the advantage. 

Essential Quality

Essential Quality failed to live up to expectations at the Kentucky Derby, where he finished fourth. But that doesn't change the fact that the colt is one of the best in the Belmont field, and he was unbeaten leading up to the Run for the Roses. 

With time off between the two big races, there's a reason he has some of the shortest odds in the field. 

              

Rombauer

With Medina Spirit not in the lineup, Rombauer is the only entrant looking to double up on Triple Crown jewels this year. Winning the Preakness and Belmont is a rare feat in itself, though, and only 42 horses have done so. 

Rombauer will have to overcome some adversity to do it, though. Flavien Prat rode him to victory in the Preakness, but John Velazquez will be on board for the Belmont, meaning preparation time has been cut between jockey and mount. The Preakness is also the shortest of the Triple Crown races, winning the Belmont takes a much different skill set. 

           

Hot Rod Charlie

The Louisiana Derby winner is back after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby, and he is widely expected to finish in the same position on Saturday. It makes sense, too. He has good genes for the race as the son of Oxbow, who finished second in the Belmont after winning the Preakness. 

Hot Rod Charlie is a consistent racer and a good bet to show. He's finished in the top three of each of his starts this year and has only missed the board twice in eight career starts. 

While each of the favorites has a good case, this is the Belmont. With the longer track, sandy conditions and smaller field, there's a chance that none of the favorites emerge as the victor. 

So it shouldn't come as a shock to see one of the entrants with longer odds get their name in the history books, and it's hard not to like Known Agenda out of that group. 

The colt is trained by Todd Pletcher who knows a thing or two about winning the race. He's trained three Belmont winners: Rags to Riches (2007), Palace Malice (2013) and Tapwrit (2017). 

Known Agenda has a solid pedigree as well. He was sired by Curlin, who lost the Belmont in 2007 by a head to Rags to Riches, and he has since sired Palace Malice who won in 2013. 

That's a lot of connections that bode well for Known Agenda, who won the Florida Derby on March 27. He finished a disappointing ninth at the Kentucky Derby, but the first jewel of the Triple Crown had a huge field he had to navigate. 

With the right post position, the Pletcher charge is in good shape to pull off an upset on Saturday.