Favored Tacitus to Break From Post 10 in Belmont Stakes
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
The post positions are set for the 151st Belmont Stakes after the Post Position Draw held at Citi Field Tuesday June 4, 2019 in Queens, N.Y.
If Mark Casse let it ride on No. 1, he would have walked away from the June 4 post position draw for the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) with empty pockets.
But instead of trying to collect on odds he projected as 2,600-to-1 that War of Will would draw the rail for all three Triple Crown races—he merely exited Citi Field with a very content feeling that his Preakness Stakes (G1) winner finally caught a break.
War of Will drew post 9 for the June 8 Belmont Stakes, just inside of Tacitus in the field of 10, as the two favorites will break side-by-side in the 1 1/2-mile final leg of the Triple Crown June 8 at Belmont Park.
"There were probably no bad posts, but there were some that were better than others, and we got one of them—especially for our horse," Casse said about the 3-year-old son of War Front who landed the rail for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and the Preakness. "He's going to be allowed to position himself a little better from the outside."
Track announcer Larry Collmus (left) with members of the racing office, Keith Doleshel and Jorie Gorski, at the 151st Belmont Stakes Post Position Draw at Citi Field June 4
Juddmonte Farms' Tacitus, who has not raced since he was moved up to third in the Kentucky Derby, was pegged as the 9-5 favorite in Saturday's classic, with Gary Barber's War of Will next at 2-1.
"I guess (the odds are) fair," said Hall of Famer Bill Mott, who trains Tacitus. "There's a lot to like about both horses. I know War of Will is a good horse. We ran against him in Louisiana a couple of times (with Kentucky Derby winner Country House) and I know he's a talented horse."
In Mott's eyes, drawing the outside post should not pose a problem for Tacitus, a homebred son of Tapit , and his jockey, Jose Ortiz.
"I feel the field will spread out. It won't bunch up like a turf race," he said. "You hope it allows everyone to move in and get a decent trip around the first turn. Nobody wants to be 10-wide on the first turn, but you would have to think there's a certain amount of speed that will spread things out."
The 8-1 third choice on the morning line is Katsumi Yoshizawa's Master Fencer, the Japanese 3-year-old who was placed sixth in the Kentucky Derby after making up more than six lengths in the final furlong. The son of Just a Way drew post 3.
"He's been doing great since the Kentucky Derby and we are looking forward to seeing him race in the Belmont Stakes," trainer Koichi Tsunoda said through an interpreter.
Calumet Farm's Everfast, who was second by 1 1/4 lengths in the Preakness for trainer Dale Romans, landed post 2 and was priced at 12-1 odds.
"After the race on Kentucky Derby day (the grade 3 Pat Day Mile Stakes presented by LG and E and KU), he started training a little more arrogantly and acting like a good horse. Even though he finished fifth, it was a solid race for him," Romans said. "That's what made us take him to the Preakness. It seemed like his attitude changed and it has continued going into the Belmont."
Belmont Park, Saturday, June 08, 2019, Race 11Entries: Belmont S. Presented by NYRA Bets (G1)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Joevia (KY)
Jose Lezcano
126
Gregory D. Sacco
30/1
2
2Everfast (KY)
Luis Saez
126
Dale L. Romans
12/1
3
3Master Fencer (JPN)
Julien R. Leparoux
126
Koichi Tsunoda
8/1
4
4Tax (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
126
Danny Gargan
15/1
5
5Bourbon War (KY)
Mike E. Smith
126
Mark A. Hennig
12/1
6
6Spinoff (KY)
Javier Castellano
126
Todd A. Pletcher
15/1
7
7Sir Winston (KY)
Joel Rosario
126
Mark E. Casse
12/1
8
8Intrepid Heart (KY)
John R. Velazquez
126
Todd A. Pletcher
10/1
9
9War of Will (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
126
Mark E. Casse
2/1
10
10Tacitus (KY)
Jose L. Ortiz
126
William I. Mott
9/5
