SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — (AP) — Kentucky Derby runner-up and Preakness winner Journalism opened as the 8-5 favorite in the Belmont Stakes when post positions were drawn Monday for the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Derby winner Sovereignty was set as the second choice on the morning line at odds of 2-1 and drew the No. 2 post. Journalism, near the outside with the No. 7 post, is the only horse running in all three Triple Crown races.
“He’s been kind of the same horse since July of last summer,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He does everything you’d ask a good horse to do: He eats well, trains well, acts well. I thought through the last six, seven weeks here, his energy’s been the same throughout.”
Sovereignty is back after owners and trainer Bill Mott opted to skip the Preakness and run the Belmont on five weeks of rest, and things have gone swimmingly since he arrived at historic Saratoga Race Couse.
“We’ve been very lucky with everything that’s gone on sine he’s been here,” Mott said. “He’s been moving well over the track.”
Sovereignty and Journalism in the field set up this Belmont, the second at Saratoga while renovations are made to its usual home on Long Island, to be a rematch between the first two Triple Crown winners who were also first and second the Derby.
“He’s improved, as I think as many of these horses have,” Mott said of Sovereignty. “I think this entire group, if you look at their form and the way they’ve developed over the course of this year, I think they’ve made steady progress and it should be an interesting race."
No. 6 Baeza, who finished third in Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, opened at 4-1. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert's Rodriguez, who was scratched from the Derby because of a minor foot bruise and held out of the Preakness, was next at 6-1 and will leave the starting gate from the No. 3 post.
The field of eight horses also includes No. 8 Heart of Honor, tied for the longest shot on the board at 30-1 after finishing fifth in the Preakness. New to the Triple Crown trail are No. 1 Hill Road (10-1), No. 5 Crudo (15-1) and No. 4 Uncaged (30-1).
Journalism, who was favorited in the Derby and the Preakness and at the moment is the top 3-year-old in the country, looks like the horse to beat.
“Saratoga is very good for horses,” McCarthy said. “He seems a little bit re-energized up here. We’re looking for a wonderful renewal of the Belmont here on Saturday.”
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