Tiz the Law is the heavy favourite to win this weekend’s Belmont Stakes despite landing in the No. 8 post position, sporting short -135 odds to reach the winner’s circle at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The three-year-old colt is coming off back-to-back victories at the Holy Bull and the Florida Derby, and is now looking to become the first horse in 14 years to race to victory from the eight-spot when he hits the track for the 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday afternoon at Belmont Park.
Typically the third and final race in the Triple Crown of American thoroughbred racing, the Belmont Stakes marks the first event in this year’s Triple Crown following the postponement of both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
While just five horses have previously won the Belmont Stakes after starting from the No. 8 post, starting near the outside should not be a major barrier for Tiz the Law, who galloped to victory from the outside in each of his past two outings. With Manuel Franco as his mount, Tiz the Law should also benefit from the absence of a pair of undefeated contenders trained by the legendary Bob Baffert.
Both Nadal and Charlatan have been forced to pass on this weekend’s Belmont Stakes despite turning in outstanding results at Oaklawn Park on Arkansas Derby race day. Nadal is still recovering from an ankle injury suffered in training at Santa Anita Park three weeks ago, while Charlatan’s racing future as a three-year-old remains in doubt after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips from his ankle.
That leaves the field wide open behind Tiz the Law, with Tap It to Win sitting as a +600 second favourite at sports betting sites, ahead of Sole Valente and Dr Post at +750.
Tap It to Win will enjoy the benefit of the No. 1 post position in Saturday’s race as he aims for a third straight victory, a streak capped by a win at Belmont on June 4. Horses starting the Belmont Stakes on the rail have historically performed well, earning the win in 26 of the past 122 runnings of this race.
Sole Valente rallied from a dismal start at the Tampa Bay Derby, storming from 11th to second place, and has picked up wins in two of his past three appearances, while Dr Post earned his second win in three career outings in April’s Unbridled Stakes at Gulfstream.
Further down the Belmont Stakes odds, Pneumatic sits alongside Max Player at +1600 to claim victory in his first-ever race at 1-1/8 miles, with Modernist and Farmington Road both at +2200, Fore Left at +4000, and Jungle Runner the longshot at +5000.