BELMONT STAKES TO POST SATURDAY

The first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown is set to be run, Saturday.

Due to rescheduling, the Belmont Stakes will kick off this year’s series of races.

The race has been shortened from its traditional mile-and-a-half to a mile-and-an-eighth.  The Belmont also will be the first race of the Triple Crown this year for the first time. The Kentucky Derby was moved from May 2 to Sept. 5, and the Preakness was moved from May 16 to Oct. 3.

Tiz The Law is the prohibitive favorite at 6-5.

The race is slated to post at 4:35 CDT and will be broadcast on NBC TV.

Here are the opening odds, in order of post position (trainer, jockey in parentheses):

1. Tap It to Win (Mark Casse, John Velazquez) 6-1
2. Sole Volante (Patrick Biancone, Luca Panici) 9-2
3. Max Player (Linda Rice, Joel Rosario) 15-1
4. Modernist (William Mott, Junior Alvarado) 15-1
5. Farmington Road (Todd Pletcher, Javier Castellano) 15-1
6. Fore Left (Doug O'Neill, Jose Ortiz) 30-1
7. Jungle Runner (Steve Asmussen, Reylu Gutierrez) 50-1
8. Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg, Manuel Franco) 6-5
9. Dr Post (Todd Pletcher, Irad Ortiz) 5-1
10. Pneumatic (Steve Asmussen, Ricardo Santana Jr.) 8-1