There may not be a Triple Crown in play this year, but there are still plenty of intriguing storylines heading into the 2021 Belmont Stakes , which is set for Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York...
Belmont Stakes Picks 2021: Examining Latest Vegas Predictions and Odds
Jun 4, 2021
Essential Quality trains ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Essential Quality had never lost through five career races, so it wasn't a surprise when the colt was the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby in May. However, he didn't live up to expectations, finishing fourth behind Medina Spirit, Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie.
After sitting out the Preakness Stakes, Essential Quality is set to return to action in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. And despite his Derby showing, he's the favorite heading into this race.
But if Essential Quality is going to win, he will have to beat seven other strong horses. That includes Rombauer, who didn't compete in the Kentucky Derby before racing to victory at the Preakness.
Here's a look at the odds for the Belmont, followed by predictions for the top finishers.
It seems unlikely that Essential Quality doesn't factor into the finish at the Belmont Stakes. He may not have been near the front much in the Kentucky Derby, but that was uncharacteristic for a horse that notched some impressive victories at races such as the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes.
And it appears Essential Quality has been looking good while preparing to return to action at the Belmont.
If Essential Quality can get off to a better start in the Belmont than he did at Churchill Downs, then it's possible he will stay toward the front of the field for much of the race. Don't be surprised if that happens, either, as the colt could break well from the No. 2 post.
However, Essential Quality will be starting alongside his biggest competition. Rombauer will break from the No. 3 post as he looks to go 2-for-2 in Triple Crown events this year. He impressed at the Preakness, overtaking the two leaders in the final stretch of the race to earn the victory.
One notable change for Rombauer will be his jockey. Flavien Prat raced the colt to victory in the Preakness, but he had already agreed to ride Hot Rod Charlie in the Belmont. That means Rombauer will now be ridden by John Velazquez, who owns six career wins at Triple Crown events (four in the Derby and two in the Belmont).
When Velazquez first rode Rombauer late in May, trainer Michael McCarthy liked how the colt performed.
"It seemed like he was well in hand at all times," McCarthy said, per the Paulick Report. "Johnny asked him to gallop out a little bit going underneath the wire and the horse seemed to respond nicely. I'm very happy with what I saw."
With Essential Quality and Rombauer both expected to perform well at the Belmont, it won't be shocking to see them among the leaders in the final stretch. However, which of the two will come out on top?
The prediction here is that Rombauer shows the same impressive closing ability he did at the Preakness. And although he may trail Essential Quality late, he will make the necessary move to get past him and again race to victory.
Prediction: 1. Rombauer; 2. Essential Quality; 3. Known Agenda
Overtook trains ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race in Elmont, N.Y., Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
There is no chance for a Triple-Crown winner at this year's Belmont Stakes, but there is an opportunity for some normalcy.
After last year's Belmont became the first leg of the Triple Crown, the race is back to its traditional position as the final test. The race is also back to being a 1.5-mile endurance test after last year's race was shortened to 1⅛ miles.
Rombauer won the Preakness Stakes a few weeks ago, while Medina Spirit finished first at the Kentucky Derby. However, Medina Spirit failed a post-race drug test, had the test confirmed on Wednesday and may eventually be disqualified. Trainer Bob Baffert was subsequently suspended from Churchill Downs for at least two years.
Should Medina Spirit be disqualified, second-place finished Mandaloun would be named the Kentucky Derby-winner—so there's still no chance for a Triple-Crown champion this year.
Still, the Belmont figures to be an exciting race, complete with an intriguing field and plenty on the line. There will be a total prize purse of $1.5 million, with $800,000 going to the winner.
While Rombauer is coming off a victory in the Preakness, the early favorite is Essential Quality. The early Kentucky Derby favorite was previously undefeated coming into that race and did not run in the Preakness.
Essential Quality was bumped early in the Kentucky Derby and still made up enough ground to finish fourth. Trainer Brad Cox believes that Essential Quality is primed to bounce back on Saturday.
"A mile-and-a-quarter is a lot for a three-year-old in the first part of May, and he definitely hasn't went the wrong way physically at all," Cox said, per Byron King of BloodHorse. "Real happy with what we've seen since the Derby and it gives us enough confidence to move forward and pursue the Belmont."
Rombauer is close to Essential Quality in the early odds, though, and is far from a long shot after being exactly that at the Preakness. The Michael McCarthy-trained horse closed was an 11-1 long shot but stunned with a late push past Medina Spirit and Midnight Bourbon.
Hot Rod Charlie is also among the favorites after finishing third at the Kentucky Derby. Like Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie skipped the Preakness to prepare for Saturday's race.
"Since we didn't win the Derby, it would be in his best interests to not run back in two weeks and just shoot for the Belmont," trainer Doug O'Neill said, per King.
Rock Your World was the 17th-place finisher at the Kentucky Derby, while France Go de Ina was the seventh-place finisher at the Preakness.
Known Agenda was another early Kentucky Derby favorite who may have been hampered by drawing the No. 1 gate in a crowded field. He finished ninth. Bourbonic finished 15th at the Kentucky Derby, while Overtook is a newcomer to the 2021 Triple Crown. The Todd Pletcher-trained horse took third at the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont last month.
Belmont Stakes 2021 Contenders: Odds, Jockey and Pedigree Info for Top Favorites
Jun 3, 2021
Belmont Stakes entrant Rombauer takes a training run on the main track ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Flavien Prat was the jockey who guided Rombauer to victory at the Preakness Stakes less than three weeks ago. The colt made a late pass, overtaking the two leaders, and by doing so, Prat secured his first career Preakness win.
Now, Prat will be looking to win the Belmont Stakes for the first time on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Only he'll be riding a different horse and will be competing against Rombauer.
Prior to agreeing to ride Rombauer in the Preakness, Prat had already decided that he would ride Hot Rod Charlie in the Belmont. So that means the winning jockey and horse from the Preakness will be separated. Instead, John Velazquez will be riding Rombauer, who will be looking to go 2-for-2 in the Triple Crown races that he's competed in.
Here's a look at the full lineup for the Belmont (including odds, jockeys and pedigree info), followed by more on the upcoming race.
If you need to find a new jockey for your Preakness-winning horse, then there aren't many better options than Velazquez. During his illustrious career, Velazquez is a four-time Kentucky Derby champion and a two-time Belmont winner.
However, it's been a while since Velazquez was last victorious at Belmont. He won in 2007 with Rags to Riches, then again in 2012 with Union Rags. But that was the last time he won the race.
There's a good chance Rombauer could win with Velazquez riding him, but there are other strong horses in the field that will be looking to win the final Triple Crown event of 2021.
One of them is Hot Rod Charlie, Prat's new horse. In March, Hot Rod Charlie won the Louisiana Derby. He didn't fare quite as well in the Kentucky Derby, in which the colt finished third. But that was also the last time he raced, so he should be fresh and ready to go for the Belmont.
Hot Rod Charlie will also have a jockey who is coming off a Preakness win and is now hoping to secure his first career Belmont victory.
"The way Rombauer won, believe me, it's human nature to be like, 'Geez, how do we take off the Preakness horse for a horse that didn't win the Derby?'" said Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie's trainer, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. "I think that's a credit to Charlie and what Flavien thinks about Charlie."
While Rombauer and Hot Rod Charlie have solid odds, Essential Quality is the current favorite to win the Belmont. Essential Quality was also the favorite heading into the Kentucky Derby, but he ended up fourth in that race.
But it's possible that Essential Quality will get off to a better start in the Belmont and could potentially race to victory. He impressed trainer Brad Cox with his first session on the Belmont Park track on Wednesday.
"He seemed to get over the ground pretty well," Cox said, per Whyno. "[Assistant trainer Dustin Dugas] said he was very, very smooth."
The Belmont typically gets the most attention in years in which a Triple Crown is in play. That's not the case this year, but there's still good reason to watch the race. Several of these horses are legitimate contenders to win, and it should set things up for an exciting finish.
Rombauer may not become a Triple Crown champion, but he could end up with an impressive list of career wins that includes both the Preakness and Belmont.
Belmont Stakes Picks 2021: Predictions and Odds for All Horses in the Lineup
Jun 3, 2021
Belmont Stakes entrant Rombauer takes a training run on the main track ahead of the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Rombauer isn't going to become a Triple Crown champion. The colt didn't race in the Kentucky Derby this year, so that was never going to be a possibility.
However, Rombauer impressed at the Preakness Stakes by using a strong late surge to race to victory. And he will be among the eight-horse field at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, meaning he could complete his Triple Crown schedule with a perfect 2-for-2 record.
Trainer Mike McCarthy had never previously won a Triple Crown race before Rombauer's victory at the Preakness on May 15. But he could quickly add another win if the colt has an equally strong performance at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Saturday.
Here's a look at the lineup for this year's Belmont (along with odds), followed by predictions for how the race will unfold.
Rombauer wasn't near the front of the pack at the start of the Preakness, and it's possible the Belmont begins in similar fashion for the colt because of the strong horses starting in the middle posts.
As Rombauer looks to successfully win two-thirds of this year's Triple Crown events, several other horses are going to be serious challengers.
Essential Quality is the favorite even though he came fourth at the Kentucky Derby. Hot Rod Charlie, Rock Your World and Known Agenda also competed at Churchill Downs, with the experience in facing tough opponents perhaps leaving them poised to break through for a win Saturday.
However, it's most likely that Essential Quality gets off to a strong start and leads the Belmont early. He started from the No. 14 post in the Kentucky Derby, and despite being the favorite to win The Run for the Roses, he couldn't move to the front.
But Essential Quality has a better starting position for the Belmont and could be in the lead for the first half of the race, if not longer. Plus, he didn't race in the Preakness, so he hasn't been in action since the Kentucky Derby. That could have him fresh and ready to go for the Belmont.
"I feel like we are in a great spot with this colt," trainer Brad Cox said, per Tim Wilkin of the Times Union. "His last two works have been really good and, physically, he looks amazing. I am pretty confident he is going to run his race."
Even though Essential Quality will get off to a strong start, he won't cross the finish line first. And that's because Rombauer is going to have a showing similar to the one he had at the Preakness.
Rombauer won't surge to the front too early, but he's also not going to fall to the back. He will be around the middle of the field without falling too far behind the leaders. And when it's time to make his move, that's what he will successfully do.
"He's a very cool horse," McCarthy said, per theNYRA Press Office (h/t the Paulick Report). "He's special. He's a classic winner and every classic winner is special."
While it may not come as late as it did in the Preakness, Rombauer is going to take the lead in the second half of the race. He will move ahead of Essential Quality and then maintain that position, marking another huge win.
Rombauer may not go down as a Triple Crown champion, but he will be remembered for notching two impressive victories at the Preakness and Belmont in 2021.
Prediction: Rombauer wins the Belmont Stakes.
Belmont Stakes Picks 2021: Vegas Odds and Predictions After Post Draw
Jun 2, 2021
Flavien Prat atop Rombauer, center, reacts after winning the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Essential Quality was the favorite to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby, but the colt ended up fourth. Can he have better results at this year's Belmont Stakes?
Rombauer had an impressive showing at the Preakness Stakes, coming strong out of the final turn to overtake the two leaders and race to victory. Perhaps he'll have another solid run at the Belmont.
After Tuesday's post draw, Essential Quality (2-1) and Rombauer (3-1) are the two favorites heading into the Belmont, and the colts will be starting alongside each other in the Nos. 2 and 3 posts, respectively. And there's a strong chance one of them will end up winning the race, which is set for Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Here's a look at the full lineup and odds for this year's race, along with predictions and more.
As Rombauer looks to claim victories in two-thirds of the Triple Crown, the colt will have a new jockey aiming to take him to the winner's circle. Flavien Prat has opted to ride Hot Rod Charlie in the Belmont, rather than sticking with Rombauer.
But Rombauer will still have a top jockey, as John Velazquez will be aboard him at the Belmont. The 49-year-old, a four-time Kentucky Derby champion, is a two-time winner at the Belmont, having rode Rags to Riches in 2007 and Union Rags in 2012.
Trainer Mike McCarthy had never won a Triple Crown race before Rombauer's Preakness victory. Now, it's possible he could win a pair three weeks apart, even if the second comes with a different jockey after Prat had already committed to riding Hot Rod Charlie in the Belmont before becoming Rombauer's jockey for the Preakness.
"It would have been nice to get Flavien back in the saddle. Obviously, there is a wonderful chemistry between horse and rider," McCarthy said, per Tom Pedulla of Horse Racing Nation. "But I’m over the moon to have John Velazquez."
While the Hall of Famer could ride Rombauer to victory, there are some strong horses in the field that the colt will have to outrun.
Essential Quality may not have lived up to the Kentucky Derby hype when he placed fourth in the race, but that may have just been a rare off day. He had won each of his previous five races, including victories at the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes earlier this year.
However, the Derby provided Essential Quality with his greatest competition yet, and there will again be plenty of strong horses in the Belmont field. Still, the colt is the favorite to win as the race nears.
"He ran what I thought was a winning race in the Derby; he didn't have the trip, but he showed up and he's been improving in every start," trainer Brad Cox said, per the Paulick Report. "I'm confident that he can handle the mile and a half. Just based off his works and his races, he's very steady and doesn't seem to get tired."
Known Agenda (6-1) and Hot Rod Charlie (7-2) could also be contenders to win at the Belmont, especially because they fared well in the post draw and will be starting near the middle of the lineup. However, this race is going to come down to the two best horses, Essential Quality and Rombauer.
Essential Quality will be in a better position late than he was at the Kentucky Derby, and he'll have a small edge entering the final stretch. But Rombauer showcased his strong closing ability at the Preakness, and he'll have an opportunity to do so again Saturday.
Rombauer will pass Essential Quality in the final stretch, as Velazquez becomes a three-time Belmont winner and Rombauer goes two-for-two at Triple Crown events.
Prediction: Rombauer wins the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes 2021: Post Positions, Odds and Race Schedule for Elmont
Jun 1, 2021
Flavien Prat atop Rombauer reacts after winning the Preakness Stakes horse race at Pimlico Race Course, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The 2021 Triple Crown season wraps up on Saturday with the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes.
Tuesday was a big day from Belmont Park, as the post-position draw for the eight-horse field was set.
Headlining the field is Preakness Stakes champion Rombauer. The Michael W. McCarthy-trained horse is currently the No. 2 betting favorite with 3-1 odds.
Essential Quality, who was 5-0 prior to a fourth-place finish at Churchill Downs, leads the pack with 2-1 odds.
The biggest story leading up to the Belmont was the New York Racing Association's decision to suspend Bob Baffert in the wake of multiple positive drug tests involving horses he has trained.
As a result of the suspension, Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit is unable to compete in Saturday's race.
2021 Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Odds
Post 1: Bourbonic (15-1)
Post 2: Essential Quality (2-1)
Post 3: Rombauer (3-1)
Post 4: Hot Rod Charlie (7-2)
Post 5: France Go de Ina (30-1)
Post 6: Known Agenda (6-1)
Post 7: Rock Your World (9-2)
Post 8: Overtook (20-1)
Odds via HorseRacing.net
2021 Belmont Stakes Schedule
Date: Saturday, June 5
Post Time: 6:47 p.m. ET
Network: NBC
Live Stream: Peacock
Even though Rombauer has the biggest win of any horse in the field, it's hard not to be intrigued by what Essential Quality is capable of doing in the longest Triple Crown race.
Essential Quality has fresh legs after skipping the Preakness Stakes in order to prepare for Belmont.
Trainer Brad Cox told BloodHorse.com the decision to bypass the Preakness appears to have paid off based on the early returns in practice:
"I got back to the barn and 'Essential's' rider, who has been on him since last fall, said how easily he got around there. It didn't take anything out of him. It's a real positive sign when you have a work like that leading into the Belmont. He's still a pretty lightly raced horse but has faced adversity in his previous races, which is good going into a Triple Crown race. I think the distance will suit him very well, being a son of Tapit."
BloodHorse.com noted Essential Quality ran five furlongs at Churchill Downs in just over 59 seconds on May 29 before departing for New York.
"It was the fastest of 43 works at the distance," BloodHorse.com wrote.
Rombauer has been hit-and-miss throughout his young career. The three-year-old didn't take part in the Kentucky Derby but finished outside the top four in two of six events prior to the Preakness.
In his highest-profile event before the Preakness Stakes, Rombauer came in fifth at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November. He's found more consistency of late, with three consecutive top-three showings. That streak is headlined by wins at Pimlico and the El Camino Real Derby.
If Rombauer continues this recent trend, the battle for the top spot this weekend could be one for the ages.
Chasing Essential Quality and Rombauer atop the betting list is Hot Rod Charlie. Trainer Doug O'Neill has yet to win at Belmont, but he would have had the overwhelming favorite in 2012 when I'll Have Another was going for a Triple Crown before an injury forced him to be scratched from the race.
Hot Rod Charlie hasn't finished worse than third in any of his three races this year, including at the Kentucky Derby. He beat out fellow Derby contender Midnight Bourbon to win the Louisiana Derby in March.
Belmont Stakes 2021 Post Positions: Complete Listing for Every Horse
Jun 1, 2021
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 15: Jockey Flavien Prat #6 riding Rombauer celebrates after winning the 146th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 15, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer drew
the No. 3 gate for the 2021 Belmont Stakes during Tuesday's post
position draw at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
Rombauer is part of an eight-horse field
set to close out the year's Triple Crown schedule Saturday. Kentucky
Derby winner Medina Spirit, who's win in the Run for the Roses
remains under review pending further drug testing results, is
ineligible to compete because of trainer Bob Baffert's NYRA suspension.
Here's a look at how the field shapes
up following the post draw along with the morning-line odds, per HorseRacing.net:
3. Rombauer (John Velazaquez; Michael McCarthy; 3-1)
4. Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat; Doug O'Neill; 7-2)
5. France Go de Ina (Ricardo Santana Jr.; Hideyuki Mori; 30-1)
6. Known Agenda (Irad Ortiz Jr.; Todd Pletcher; 6-1)
7. Rock Your World (Joel Rosario; John Sadler; 9-2)
8. Overtook (Manuel Franco; Todd Pletcher; 20-1)
This year's Belmont doesn't feature
either of the storylines that typically dominate the Run for the
Carnations: a horse chasing the Triple Crown or the winners of
the Derby and Preakness facing off in a showdown to see whether
either can claim two of the coveted titles.
That and the lingering
uncertainty about Medina Spirit's victory in the Derby have created a
Triple Crown season without the usual buzz or mainstream interest.
Rombauer isn't the favorite despite his
triumph in the Preakness. Although it marked the best performance of
his career, it came with a relatively modest 103 Equibase speed
figure—a sign his win was a combination of a solid run and no
other horse putting on a dominant showing.
The McCarthy trainee has been on a
steady upward trajectory throughout his three starts in 2021, so
another career-best run to win the Belmont can't be discounted.
Essential Quality returns after a
disappointing fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and skipping
the Preakness. He'd won each of his five career starts before the
Triple Crown season, including a triumph in the Grade II Blue Grass
Stakes in early April.
A victory Saturday would put Essential
Quality back on the path to becoming the best horse from this year's
three-year-old group.
"This horse has put us in this
position and we feel very fortunate to be a part of it," trainer Brad Cox said. "He's accomplished so much already, being a champion two-year-old.
But at some point, he'll be retired to stud and it's our job now to
continue to add to his legacy. A Grade 1 win at 3 is going to be huge
for this horse and we're hopeful it can happen in the Belmont."
Meanwhile, Bourbonic is another horse
that attracted a lot of attention in the Derby thanks to his win in
the Grade 2 Wood Memorial in early April. His outing at Churchill
Downs represented something closer to his first five career starts in
that he lacked the high-end speed to compete with elite competition,
finishing 13th.
The question heading into the Belmont
is whether that performance in the Wood Memorial was a one-off fluke
or a sign of an impending breakout that was briefly halted by the
overcrowded Derby field. The answer could come Saturday with a
smaller group of foes.
Post time for the Belmont Stakes is scheduled for Saturday at approximately 6:49 p.m. ET on NBC.
A Triple Crown winner is out of the question this year heading into Saturday's Belmont Stakes , but that doesn't mean bettors have to miss out on a chance to get in on some action...
Belmont Stakes 2021: Top Contenders and Unheralded Horses in Lineup Field
Jun 1, 2021
John Velazquez riding Medina Spirit leads Florent Geroux on Mandaloun, Flavien Prat riding Hot Rod Charlie and Luis Saez on Essential Quality to win the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 1, 2021, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The 2021 Belmont Stakes field is littered with horses that competed in the first two Triple Crown races.
Preakness Stakes winner Rombauer and Kentucky Derby pre-race favorite Essential Quality are among the horses set to run on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Nine horses are expected to line up in the starting gate. Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie, who took third at Churchill Downs, should top the odds chart by post time.
Although the Triple Crown is no longer up for grabs, the Belmont Stakes serves an important purpose for the three-year-old horses not only to try to win a prestigious race, but also to set them up for a strong run in the fall.
Top Contenders
Essential Quality
Essential Quality was pegged as one of the Triple Crown favorites prior to the Kentucky Derby.
Medina Spirit won that race, and Essential Quality finished fourth and did not compete in the Preakness Stakes.
Even though he did not win at Churchill Downs, Essential Quality should be viewed as a top candidate to win the Belmont.
Essential Quality reeled off five wins in a row prior to the first leg of the Triple Crown. He beat a handful of Triple Crown participants in those races, including Rombauer in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 3.
Since the Belmont has a smaller field, Essential Quality could take over the race in an easier fashion compared to dealing with a 20-horse free-for-all at the Kentucky Derby.
Rombauer
Three weeks ago, Rombauer was not considered a favorite to win a Triple Crown race.
Rombauer should now be one of the most talked-about horses because of his surprise triumph at the Preakness Stakes.
Rombauer does not have a terrible track record, as he won two of his last three races and landed in third behind Essential Quality in April.
His three results in 2021 are much better than the fifth- and sixth-place finishes he earned at the back end of 2020. His fifth-place mark came at the Breeders' Cup juvenile.
The improvement in results over the last few months is a promising sign for Rombauer's prospects at the Belmont and for the rest of the season.
He may not be favored against Essential Quality, but he could produce a strong race that gets him close to the lead.
Unheralded Horses
Known Agenda
Known Agenda should fly under the radar in the Belmont buildup.
The Todd Pletcher horse earned a disappointing ninth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, which came five weeks after a triumph at the Florida Derby.
Known Agenda has three victories in his career, but he also placed third, fifth and ninth in between those victories.
The inconsistencies on his resume could lead people to pick against Known Agenda to win the Belmont, but he could be worth trusting since he is a Pletcher horse.
Pletcher has a strong record in New York and won the Belmont in 2013 with Palace Malice and in 2017 with Tapwrit.
Bourbonic
Bourbonic is one of three Pletcher-trained horses entered into the Belmont.
Just like Known Agenda, Bourbonic will not come into the race with a ton of notoriety because of his 13th-place finish at the Kentucky Derby.
Bourbonic won at the Wood Memorial on April 3, and he took first in a few races prior to that, so he does have the potential to lead the pack to the finish line.
Bourbonic will not be favored to win, but he could pull off a surprise run to first similar to what Rombauer produced at the Preakness Stakes.
If that occurs, the Triple Crown season could be finished off with two long-shot winners.
