Tonalist has proven his love for Belmont Park time and again (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

The $1.25 million Metropolitan H. (G1) drew a field of 10 featuring last year's Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist (Tapit) and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) victor Bayern (Offlee Wild) among its talented bunch. The one-mile contest is scheduled to take place two races before the third jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday.

Tonalist will attempt to keep his record perfect at Belmont Park for trainer Christophe Clement in the Met Mile. The bay four-year-old has racked up four wins from as many starts at Big Sandy, beginning with a four-length score in the Peter Pan S. (G2) last May. He followed up with his Belmont Stakes triumph and went on to add the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) to his resume before suffering just the second off-the-board placing of his career when fifth in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.

Given a nice long break following his sophomore season, which also included placings in the Travers S. (G1) and Jim Dandy S. (G1) at Saratoga, Tonalist returned on May 2 at Belmont to capture the one-mile Westchester S. (G3). He did so under Joe Bravo but will be ridden for the first time on Saturday by John Velazquez.

Private Zone romped at Churchill Downs last out (Lauren J. Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

Tonalist and Bayern will share 123-pound highweight duties with another leading runner in Private Zone (Macho Uno). The six-year-old gelding beat Bayern in the Churchill Downs Stakes, which followed a season-opening second in the Gulfstream Park H. (G2) on March 7 behind fellow Met Mile contender Honor Code (A.P. Indy).

Private Zone currently boasts a 1-2-0 mark from four tries at the distance, including a career-best five-length win in the Cigar Mile H. (G1) last fall at Aqueduct. He's also captured the past two runnings of the six-furlong Vosburgh S. (G1) and keeps regular rider Martin Pedroza in the irons as he breaks from the rail.

Honor Code will only tote 118 pounds after following his Gulfstream Park 'Cap triumph with a well-beaten fifth in the Alysheba S. (G2) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard at Churchill. The Shug McGaughey trainee is making a comeback after competing just twice in 2014. The dark bay ridgling suffered a suspensory injury while on the Triple Crown trail last season and didn't reappear in competition until scoring in an allowance/optional claimer at Aqueduct in late November. Javier Castellano has been aboard for all but one of Honor Code's starts and will attempt to guide the four-year-old back into the winner's circle in this spot.

Stanford is set to make his first start since March in the Easy Goer (Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com)

Stanford was entered in the Kentucky Derby but scratched out early after his connections didn't like his post draw. He at first was confirmed for the Preakness S. (G1), then under consideration for the May 9 Peter Pan, but didn't enter either contest. The Todd Pletcher-trained bay will now go in the Easy Goer off a close neck second in the Louisiana Derby (G2) from March 28. Castellano has the call.

Donworth was a nice maiden debut winner at Gulfstream Park on March 14 and has since placed in both the Lexington S. (G3) and Sir Barton S. for trainer Graham Motion. Japan impressed with a seven-length maiden score under the Twin Spires on April 30 in his third try for conditioner Bill Mott. Joel Rosario will be aboard Donworth as he breaks from the rail while Junior Alvarado will pilot Japan from post 3.

Two races later in the $500,000 Woody Stephens S. (G2), Competitive Edge (Super Saver) will put his perfect four-for-four mark on the line against five rivals. The bay colt romped in his last two tries at seven furlongs, including an 8 1/2-length wire job in the Tamarac S. to open his three-year-old season on March 27. He'll enter the Woody Stephens off a 4 1/2-length score in the Pat Day Mile (G3) on the Kentucky Derby program, and brings regular jockey Velazquez along for the ride.

Call Me George is looking for another upset win, this time in the Brooklyn (Alexander Barkoff/Hodges Photography)

Also entered is Call Me George (Point Given), who will try to put his dismal eighth most recently in the Alysheba behind him and return to the form that saw him upset the New Orleans H. (G2) at Fair Grounds in late March.

Last year's Travers winner, V. E. Day (English Channel); recent Tokyo City Cup (G3) romper Sky Kingdom (Empire Maker); and Grade 3 victor Micromanage (Medaglia d'Oro) are also entered.