Belmont Stakes 2017: Betting Odds, Prediction, Start Time, Live Stream, TV Channel For Triple Crown Race

The 149th running of the Belmont Stakes takes place Saturday in one of the most wide open fields in quite some time. Classic Empire, who had mostly been listed as a 2/1 favorite since the Preakness Stakes, backed out of the race Wednesday due to an abscess in his right front hoof, according to trainer Mark Casse.

Not only will there not be a Triple Crown winner this year, Looking At Lee is the only horse to compete in all three races. Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Preakness winner Cloud Computing backed out of the Belmont weeks ago.

There are only 12 horses in the $1.5 million race, with Irish War Cry (3/1) and Japan-based Epicharis (7/2) the top contenders. Epicharis has been dealing with a right front hoof issue.

Also in the mix are Looking At Lee (11/2), Senior Investment (13/2) and Tapwrit (15/2). Belmont has often been open to longshots.

“There’s been some good payouts in the Belmont,” Wynn sports book director Johnny Avello said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Through the years, there’s been some pretty good-priced horses.”

Weather reports call for temperatures at about 84 degrees but with possible showers before race time.

Coverage of the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York, will begin at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports and then switch to NBC at 5 p.m. ET.

Post time for the 1 1/2-mile race is scheduled at 6:37 p.m. ET. A live stream is available on NBC Sports Live.

Prediction: Tapwrit by a nose

Betting Odds (According to Bovada)

1. Twisted Tom (Castellano/Brown) 20/1

2. Tapwrit (Ortiz/Pletcher) 15/2

3. Gormley (Espinoza/Sherriffs) 12/1

4. J Boys Echo (Albarado/Romans) 16/1

5. Hollywood Handsome (Geroux/Stewart) 33/1

6. Looking at Lee (Ortiz Jr./Asmussen) 11/2

7. Irish War Cry (Maragh/Motion) 3/1

8. Senior Investment (Hill/McPeek) 13/2

9. Meantime (Smith/Lynch) 14/1

10. Multiplier (Rosario/Walsh) 16/1

11. Epicharis (Lemaire/Hagiwara) 7/2

12. Patch (Velazquez/Pletcher) 25/1