Rick Lee's Belmont Analysis
PP HORSE;JOCKEY;TRAINER;ODDS
7 Rock Your World;Rosario;Sadler;9-2
COMMENT Showed speed and stamina while defeating Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit in the Santa Anita Derby, and he has trained smartly since getting eliminated at the break in the Derby.
2 Essential Quality;Saez;Cox;2-1
COMMENT Had his unbeaten streak stopped at five after a wide trip in a 1-length Kentucky Derby loss, and the Champion Juvenile of 2020 is the one to beat.
4 Hot Rod Charlie;Prat;O'Neill;7-2
COMMENT Finished a close second in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and he finished a head in front of Essential Quality in the Derby, which followed his Louisiana Derby win.
3 Rombauer;Velazquez;McCarthy;3-1
COMMENT Finished full of run while winning the Preakness by better than 3 lengths, and he is a logical repeat candidate if able to repeat the effort after a shorter rest.
6 Known Agenda;TBD;Pletcher;6-1
COMMENT Was one paced while finishing ninth in the Derby, but he finished strong when defeating 10 rivals in the Florida Derby.
1 Bourbonic;Carmouche;Pletcher;15-1;
COMMENT Rallied to win the Wood Memorial at 72-1 odds, but he passed only tired rivals when 13th in the Kentucky Derby.
8 Overtook;Franco;Pletcher;20-1
COMMENT Is adding blinkers after a pair of in-the-money finishes in Grade III races, and his only win is a maiden score at Aqueduct.
5 France Go de Ina;Santana;Mori;30-1
COMMENT Was forwardly placed before fading badly in the Preakness, and rider Joel Rosario jumps off to ride Rock Your World.