Horse racing will go a year without a Triple Crown winner, but to say the first two legs of horse racing's crown jewel leading up to the 2019 Belmont Stakes were just ho-hum would be a vast understatement.
The Kentucky Derby featured the first disqualification in its history of a horse that crossed the finish line first. The Preakness had a jockey-less horse complete the race and not finish last. The bar has been set for the 151st running of the Belmont to prove even more compelling.
War of Will will look to become just the 12th horse ever to win both the Preakness and Belmont after failing to win the Kentucky Derby. His run at Churchill Downs was impeded, eventually leading to Maximum Security's disqualification and Country House's win. War of Will is the only horse to compete in all three portions of this year's Triple Crown.
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Preakness runner-up Everfast and Bourbon War are the only other horses in this year's Belmont field that also ran at Pimlico three weeks ago. The Belmont, at 1.5 miles long, is the longest of the three horse racing classics, making it difficult for horses to compete with such a short time to recover.
Tacitus, who was one of the favorites to win the Derby but finished fourth (elevated to third), is the son of sire Tapit and dam Close Hatches, who both excelled at Belmont Park or longer races, and should provide War of Will with the stiffest competition.
Although three-time Belmont winning trainer Bob Baffert will be absent from this year's race, trainer Todd Pletcher — who also has three Belmont victories — has a pair of horses (Intrepid Heart and Spinoff) in the field to help him notch a fourth win. This year's winner will take home $800,000.
MORE: Watch the Belmont live & on demand with fuboTV (7-day trial)
When is the Belmont Stakes 2019?
- Date: Saturday, June 8
- Post time: 6:48 p.m. ET
- TV channels: NBC, NBCSN
- Stream: NBC Sports Live | fuboTV
This year's Belmont Stakes is Saturday, June 8, with post time at 6:48 p.m. ET. The race is held three weeks after the Preakness and just a total of five weeks after the Kentucky Derby. Dating back to its inaugural race in 1867, the Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the three Triple Crown races.
How to watch, live stream the Belmont
The 151st Belmont Stakes can be watched on NBC's live television broadcast, streamed on NBCsports.com or is available on the NBC Sports app. The race can also be streamed on fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial.
Pre-race coverage
The start of the Belmont Stakes at 6:48 p.m. ET will be the culmination of three hours of coverage from NBC beginning at 4 p.m. ET. Coverage of Saturday's undercard begins at 2:30 p.m. on NBCSN.
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Belmont 2019 lineup, contenders, odds
| Position | Horse | Odds |
| No. 1 | Joevia | 30-1 |
| No. 2 | Everfast | 12-1 |
| No. 3 | Master Fencer | 8-1 |
| No. 4 | Tax | 15-1 |
| No. 5 | Bourbon War | 12-1 |
| No. 6 | Spinoff | 15-1 |
| No. 7 | Sir Winston | 12-1 |
| No. 8 | Intrepid Heart | 10-1 |
| No. 9 | War of Will | 2-1 |
| No. 10 | Tacitus | 9-5 |
Morning line odds will be updated through June 8
MORE: Fast facts before picking a horse at Belmont Stakes
2018 Belmont Stakes winner
Justify won the 2018 Belmont to cap off winning the 13th Triple Crown in history. He was just the second horse to win the Triple Crown with an undefeated record. Justify hung on to defeat a closing Gronkowski — part-owned by former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski — by 1 3/4 lengths with jockey Mike Smith. Smith will be atop Bourbon War this year.
Belmont Stakes winners, 2009-18
| Year | Horse | Jockey |
| 2018 | Justify | Mike Smith |
| 2017 | Tapwrit | Jose Ortiz |
| 2016 | Creator | Irad Ortiz Jr. |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza |
| 2014 | Tonalist | Joel Rosario |
| 2013 | Malice Palace | Mike Smith |
| 2012 | Union Rags | John Velazquez |
| 2011 | Rule On Ice | Jose Valdivia Jr. |
| 2010 | Drosselmeyer | Mike Smith |
| 2009 | Summer Bird | Kent Desormeaux |