2017 Belmont Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The third jewel in the 2017 Triple Crown - the G1 Belmont Stakes will be run this Saturday, June 10 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. An slightly watered-down group of three year olds (but I digress) have been assembled to go 1 1/2 miles on Belmont Park's dirt track for the winner's share of the $1.5 million.

A wide-open field of 12 will give it a go in the prestigious Belmont Stakes - race 11 on Belmont Park's stacked Saturday card. Post time for the Main Event is 6:37 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 12 entries for the Final Jewel of the 2017 Triple Crown - none of which have won any of the first two Jewels.

2017 Belmont Stakes Entries at Belmont Park

Irish War Cry 7-2

Graham Motion trained colt will hit the track for the seventh time Saturday having posted four wins in his six starts so far. Last time out was a disappointing tenth in the Kentucky Derby which followed a nice win in the G2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 8 and an almost unfathomable seventh as even-money favorite in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 4. Before that he won the G2 Holy Bull Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure at Gulfstream February 4 and won the restricted Marylander Stakes December 31 at Laurel Park. Irish War Cry was firmly in the Kentucky Derby conversation but has been a tad tough to figure out most recently. He tries to gain a little consistency Saturday when he leaves from post 7 with Rajiv Maragh aboard the tepid morning line favorite.

Epicharis 4-1

Impressive Japanese bred Kiyoshi Hagiwara trained colt will race for the sixth time Saturday having posted four wins and a second-place finish so far. He won his first four starts at home including three stakes and then took his show to the UAE where he finished a quality second in the Group 2 UAE Derby March 25. Epicharis has been a factor in every race so far in his career and is one of the more anticipated entries in the field. He makes his North American debut Saturday with Christophe Lemaire in the irons of the intriguing second betting choice from post 11.

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Lookin At Lee 5-1

Steve Asmussen trained colt will become the only Belmont horse to have run in all three Triple Crown races. He finished fifth in his debut but has looked good in 11 starts since. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Preakness Stakes May 20 which followed a good second in the G1 Kentucky Derby, a third in the G1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park April 15, a sixth in the G2 Rebel Stakes on that track March 18, another third in the G3 Southwest Stakes there February 20 and a fourth in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Lookin At Lee has been competitive but looks for his first win overall since August with Irad Ortiz guiding him from gate 6.

Tapwrit 6-1

Has three wins and a second-place finish in seven career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. He debuted with a tenth and has been decent in six starts since - a maiden October 6 was followed by a nice win in his stakes debut- the $75,000 Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park December 10 and a quality second behind McCracken at 9-1 odds in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes February 11. He posted a terrific win in the Tampa Bay Derby March 11 and has been just average in two starts since - a sixth last time out in the Kentucky Derby followed fifth in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 8. Tapwrit had been on a serious upward trajectory before his last two starts and hopes to rediscover that form from gate 2. Jose Ortiz rides.

Gormley 8-1

John Shirreffs trained colt will hit the track for the eighth time Saturday. His second start was a terrific wire-to-wire three length win in the G1 FrontRunner Stakes October 1. He enters off a career-worst effort however - a ninth in the Kentucky Derby which followed a career-best effort - a win in the G1 Santa Anita Derby April 8. He's also had a somewhat disappointing fourth in the G2 San Felipe Stakes March 11, another impressive win -the G3 Sham Stakes January 7 to go along with a seventh as third choice in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Gormley has now won four of his seven career starts and showed some serious form at times. He tries to bounce back into the win column Saturday with Victor Espinoza guiding him from post 3.

Senior Investment 12-1

Kenneth McPeek trained colt has nine career starts with three wins and two third place finishes. He arrives off a very respectable third in the Preakness Stakes May 20 after a career-best effort - a win in the G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland April 15. Those results followed a sixth in the G2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds April 1, an Allowance Optional Claiming score February 18 and a seventh in a similar race to start his year. Senior Investment has been a tad inconsistent but has looked good in his last two starts overall. He tries to keep the upward trend going from gate 8 Saturday with Channing Hill in the reins.

Patch 12-1

Has four career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher with a win and two second place finishes. Last time out he looked a tad out of his league when he finished fourteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Before that was a respectable second in the G2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds April 1, a maiden score at Gulfstream Park February 18 and a second in his debut at Gulfstream January 15. Patch hopes for a bounceback effort and tries to make a name for himself Saturday when he departs from the outside gate 8 with John Velazquez slated to ride.

J Boys Echo 15-1

Will race for the eighth time for trainer Dale Romans having posted two wins, a second and a third-place finish so far. He stepped into stakes company for the first time five starts back and finished fourth in the G3 $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot November 19 and followed that with third in the G3 Withers Stakes February 4 and a terrific 3 1/2 length win with a field-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure in the G3 Gotham Stakes March 4. He hasn't been all that great in two starts since - a fifteenth place finish last time out in the Kentucky Derby followed a fourth in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 8. J Boys Echo looked good in the winter and will be out to snap a two-race funk Saturday. Robby Albarado has been tabbed to ride from gate 4.

Meantime 15-1

Brian Lynch trained colt has just four career starts with a win, two seconds and a third-place finish. He was last seen running a quality second in the G3 Peter Pan Stakes on this track May 13 after a maiden score at Keeneland April 22 and a third and a second respectively in a pair of MSW races to start his career. Meantime has been competitive so far and hopes to be again Saturday in what amounts to a pretty big step up in competition. Mike Smith is scheduled to ride from post 9.

Multiplier 15-1

Highly regarded colt has five career starts for trainer Brendan Walsh and has two wins, one second and a third-place finish so far. He made his stakes debut two starts back and won the G3 Illinois Derby in impressive fashion at Hawthorne April 22 and followed that with a sixth last time out in the Preakness Stakes May 20. He started his career with a maiden score March 18, a second February 18 and a third in his debut January 21. Multiplier has been decent so far and but will need a special effort Saturday from gate 10. Joel Rosario will be in the saddle.

Twisted Tom 20-1

Chad Brown trained gelding has four wins in his six career starts. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday on a nice three race win streak - the minor Federico Tesio Stakes last time out April 22, the minor Private Terms Stakes March 18 (both at Laurel Park) and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Aqueduct January 28. He failed to place in two of his first three starts but has been seriously trending upward ahead of this weekend. He tries to make it four straight wins in his step up with Javier Castellano guiding him from the rail.

Hollywood Handsome 30-1

Has two wins to go along with three third place finishes in nine career starts for trainer Dallas Stewart. Last time out was an Allowance score at Churchill Downs May 14 which followed a fifth in the G3 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne April 22 and an OK step up into stakes company - a fourth in the G2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds April 1. Hollywood Handsome has been OK so far in his career and will be after a first stakes win from the post 5 Saturday. Florent Geroux gets the call.

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2017 Belmont Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 11 on Belmont Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 6:37 PM.