Justify draws the rail and installed as 4-5 favorite in Belmont Stakes 150
Jun 05, 2018
150TH BELMONT STAKES
| PP | HORSE | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ML ODDS | ||||
| 1 | Justify | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 4-5 | ||||
| 2 | Free Drop Billy | Dale Romans | Robby Albarado | 30-1 | ||||
| 3 | Bravazo | D. Wayne Lukas | Luis Saez | 8-1 | ||||
| 4 | Hofburg | Bill Mott | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 9-2 | ||||
| 5 | Restoring Hope | Bob Baffert | Florent Geroux | 30-1 | ||||
| 6 | Gronkowski | Chad Brown | Jose Ortiz | 12-1 | ||||
| 7 | Tenfold | Steve Asmussen | Ricardo Santana Jr. | 12-1 | ||||
| 8 | Vino Rosso | Todd Pletcher | John Velazquez | 8-1 | ||||
| 9 | Noble Indy | Todd Pletcher | Javier Castellano | 30-1 | ||||
| 10 | Blended Citizen | Doug O'Neill | Kyle Frey | 15-1 |
Undefeated Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) hero JUSTIFY drew the rail during Tuesday's post position draw for the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park on June 9. The chestnut son of Scat Daddy is seeking to give trainer Bob Baffert a second sweep of the Triple Crown after American Pharoah ended the 37-year drought in 2015 for the same conditioner.
Lining up against Justify on Saturday will be nine rivals, some he's faced in the past, others who are new shooters.
BRAVAZO and TENFOLD were closest to the Derby winner when he crossed under the wire in the Preakness, beaten only a half-length and a neck, respectively.
HOFBURG returns for another shot at Justify after finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. The Bill Mott-trained son of Tapit also shows a second in the Florida Derby (G1) on his resume. VINO ROSSO and NOBLE INDY ran in the Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher and wound up ninth and 17th, respectively, on the finish line. The former captured the Wood Memorial (G2) prior to his Derby effort while the latter prevailed in the Louisiana Derby (G2). FREE DROP BILLY finished 16th in the Kentucky Derby last out, but skipped the second jewel of the Triple Crown to ready for the 'Test of the Champion.'
GRONKOWSKI was forced to skip the Derby with an infection after receiving an invite to compete in the Run for the Roses as the points leader on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby. Since his last race, the dark bay colt transferred from Jeremy Noseda's shedrow in England to trainer Chad Brown in the United States. BLENDED CITIZEN didn't have enough points to make the Derby field and readied for the Belmont Stakes with a 1 1/2-length score in the local prep, the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), on May 12.
RESTORING HOPE is a stablemate of Justify but has never run against the fellow Baffert pupil. The Giant's Causeway colt brings a third in the Wood Memorial and 12th-place run in the Pat Day Mile (G3) into the Belmont Stakes.
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