Forte early favorite to win Belmont Stakes off 10-week layoff

Reigning champion juvenile colt champion Forte will break from post 6 in a nine-horse renewal of the $1.5 million Belmont S. (G1) on Saturday. He was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite for the 1 1/2-mile classic.

Scratched from the Kentucky Derby (G1) on the morning of that May 6 event due to a foot bruise, Forte enters the Belmont having not run in 10 weeks. He was last seen defeating Mage in the Florida Derby (G1) on April 1, and also won the Fountain of Youth (G2) back in March over the eventual Kentucky Derby winner.

Trainer Todd Pletcher also saddles Blue Grass (G1) winner Tapit Trice, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. Tapit Trice most recently finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby. Angel of Empire, who rallied for third in the Derby as the lukewarm favorite, is the 7-2 third choice for the Belmont. The Brad Cox trainee previously captured the Risen Star (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1).

Preakness (G1) winner National Treasure is the 5-1 fourth choice and the likely pacesetter, while Peter Pan (G3) winner Arcangelo will look to give jockey Javier Castellano a second classic winner of the season as an early 8-1 chance.