SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey drew post position No. 1 on Monday, and Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan will start in post No. 3 for the 156th Belmont Stakes that takes place Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
Kenny McPeek-trained Mystik Dan, who finished second in the Preakness, is the only horse in the field for all three Triple Crown races. At 5-1 and being ridden again by Brian Hernandez Jr., he is the third choice behind favorite Sierra Leone, who opened at 9-5, and Mindframe at 7-2.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ Seize the Grey comes in right behind Mystik Dan with 8-1 odds after a wire-to-wire win in the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Sierra Leone, who drew the No. 9 post position in the 10-horse field, was second in the Derby, losing to Mystik Dan by a nose. Trainer Chad Brown hopes to get a similar run out of the horse this time, with a jockey change to Flavien Prat.
Trainer Todd Pletcher is saddling the most horses in the 1 1/4-mile race at Saratoga. His trio of colts is led by undefeated Mindframe, who will start from the outside No. 10 post. Pletcher also has No. 5 Antiquarian (12-1) and No. 7 Protective (20-1).