USA TODAY Sports The third and final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown is finally here. Winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Justify will look to take its final stride toward history Saturday at the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Here's everything you need to know for Saturday's race. How to watch Post time: 6:37 p.m. ET Pre-race coverage: NBC Sports Network, 2:00-5:00 p.m. ET 150th Belmont Stakes: NBC, 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET Live stream: NBC Sports app Post Positions 1. Justify 2. Free Drop Billy 3. Bravazo 4. Hofburg 5. Restoring Hope 6. Gronkowski 7. Tenfold 8. Vino Rosso 9. Noble Indy 10. Blended Citizen Must-read stories<doc-sep>Al Bello/Getty Images With two of the three Triple Crown jewels secured already in 2018, Justify heads to the Belmont Stakes on the brink of history. If Bob Baffert's exceptional colt triumphs, he'll become just the 13th horse to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the showpiece at Belmont Park in the same calendar year. Baffert's American Pharoah was the last to win the box set of titles in 2015. However, the 12-furlong contest is set to be the hardest challenge yet for Justify, as a number of high-class horses are in the field in Elmont, New York. Here's a look at how the field is shaping up for this encounter and a preview of what's to come on Saturday. Predicted Finish - Horse (Odds) 1 — Hofburg (9-2) Video Play Button Videos you might like 2 — Justify (4-5) 3 — Bravazo (8-1) 4 — Vino Rosso (8-1) 5 — Gronkowski (12-1) 6 — Tenfold (12-1) 7 — Restoring Hope (30-1) 8 — Noble Indy (30-1) 9 — Blended Citizen (15-1) 10 — Free Drop Billy (30-1) Although Justify was the heavy favourite heading into the Preakness, he was made to work hard for his victory. As had been the case in Kentucky, the rain tipped down pre-race, making conditions difficult for the jockeys and the horses. But Justify showed a will to match his natural speed, eventually holding off Bravazo and Good Magic to take the victory. Here's a look at the battle, per NBC Sports: While winning in Baltimore so soon after his Kentucky triumph was an achievement in itself for Justify, thoughts of the Triple Crown being accomplished again have long been held. Baffert has earned a tremendous reputation for himself in these high-profile races down the years. American Pharoah, after all, ended a 37-year drought of Triple Crown winners three years ago. Mike Hogan of the 3 Songs podcast suggested a win for Justify in New York would mean no less despite the accomplishments of another from the Baffert stable: Despite an attritional race in the Preakness, the iconic trainer has said his horse is looking in fine shape ahead of his tilt at history, per Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier Journal (h/t USA Today). "Right now, everything seems that it's going smoothly," said Baffert. "Flesh-wise, he looks great. I'm very happy with the way he's going." Justify will need to be at his best to get the job done, especially with Bravazo in the field again. As noted by broadcaster Doug Gottlieb, the runner-up at the Preakness finished at a rapid pace: Hofburg is another worth considering, as he skipped the Preakness to focus on the showpiece race at Belmont Park. He was a distant seventh in the Kentucky Derby, yet his trainer Bill Mott said the horse "seemed to have a lot left" after running at Churchill Downs, per Horse Racing Nation. He's second in the betting, and after two huge efforts from Justify to be in with a chance of winning the Triple Crown, Hofburg or Bravazo may just get the better of him over the longer distance at Belmont.<doc-sep>Of some concern, Justify’s Preakness performance was not as strong as his Kentucky Derby performance. For horses that like to lead to win, the Preakness is supposed to be easier than the Derby. As a rule, the pace is not as hot, and there are fewer horses to clear in getting to the front. It looked like the Preakness was going to unfold just like the Derby, but down the stretch Justify was losing ground on his competition, despite the shorter distance (by one-quarter of a furlong) and the fact that the first half-mile was over a full second faster in the Derby. If the pace is hot, he would be wise to leave it alone for at least six furlongs, and he has never shown the ability to do that.<doc-sep>
Eclipse Sportswire/Getty Images Justify will be one of 10 horses bidding for glory on Saturday at the 2018 Belmont Stakes, as he pursues a historic Triple Crown victory. Up for grabs once again in the 150th Run for the Carnations will be a total purse of $1.5 million, and based on the past four years, the winner will claim $800,000 of that. After winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, Justify is the favourite to win in Belmont Park on Saturday. Here is the lineup, complete with the latest odds, according to OddsShark: Gate 1: Justify, 4-5 Gate 2: Free Drop Billy, 50-1 Gate 3: Bravazo, 7-1 Gate 4: Hofburg, 4-1 Gate 5: Restoring Hope* Gate 6: Gronkowski, 25-1 Gate 7: Tenfold, 10-1 Gate 8: Vino Rossi, 9-1 Gate 9: Noble Indy, 33-1 Gate 10: Blended Citizen, 12-1 *Odds not listed. Justify will start from Gate 1, which means he will be up against the rail. While such a post position is not as damning as it might be in the Kentucky Derby given its larger field, trainer Bob Baffert was not happy with the draw. "I never do like the rail," Baffert said, per USA Today's Dan Wolken. "We have it. We can't change it. We'll just deal with it." Video Play Button Videos you might like As TVG's Candice Hare noted, it's not ideal for Justify: The inside position has produced 23 winners in the race's history, more than any other post, but success from Gate 1 has not been the case for some time, per David Grening of the Daily Racing Form: Justify has plenty of pace out of the gate, so it might not be a significant hindrance. But it's another hurdle he'll have to overcome to achieve Triple Crown glory. It's also worth noting that Gate 3, where Bravazo will start, has produced 15 winners in the past, including back-to-back victories for Ruler on Ice and Union Rags in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Without having to worry about being trapped on the inside heading into the first turn, Bravazo—who came within half a length of Justify at the Preakness Stakes—should be a serious contender to Justify's throne in New York.