Drawing eight horses, the 153rd Belmont Stakes lacks the normal factors that contribute to a short field in the spring classic.
The last time the Belmont field came up so light, American Pharoah met seven rivals in 2015. That proved a coronation more than a confrontation for horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, the first with Oaklawn past performances on his record.
Derby winner Medina Spirit's third-place finish in the May 15 Preakness ensured there would be no Triple Crown winner for a third consecutive year. Hot Rod Charlie, third on May 1 at Churchill Downs, is the highest-ranking Derby runner entered Saturday. Keepmeinmind's defection, after running seventh in the Derby and fourth in the Preakness, gives the Belmont no horse that started in all three legs. Oaklawn-raced Bravazo was the only other horse with perfect attendance in Justify's Triple Crown sweep of 2018.
Preakness winner Rombauer can become the first Belmont winner not to enter the Derby since Pillory in 1922. Mighty Man o'War also pulled off that feat, in 1920, a year after Sir Barton became the first of 13 horses to win all three races.
Reflecting a topsy-turvy year in racing that many top contenders regressed because of injury or inconsistency, five horses from the Derby and two from the Preakness entered the Belmont on Tuesday. The only other starter, Overtook, is one of three horses representing trainer Todd Pletcher.
Champion Essential Quality, fourth in the Derby, drew post two and was made 2-1 favorite on the morning line. Rombauer is the 3-1 second choice but with Preakness rider Flavien Prat jumping to Hot Rod Charlie, the 7-2 third choice. John Velazquez, Medina Spirit's pilot in the Derby and Preakness, picked up the mount on Rombauer, who breaks from post three inside Hot Rod Charlie.
Completing the field, from the rail out, are Bourbonic, 15-1, Kendrick Carmouche; France Go de Ina, 30-1, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Known Agenda, 6-1, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Rock Your World, 9-2, Joel Rosario; and Overtook, 20-1, Manny Franco. Bourbonic, Known Agenda and Overtook, all trained by Pietcher, race as separate betting interests.
Luis Saez keeps the mount on Essential Quality, Oaklawn's Grade 3 Southwest winner Feb. 27 in his 3-year-old debut. The Tapit colt can become the first Belmont winner with local ties since Arkansas Derby winner Creator in 2016.
Grade 1 winners Known Agenda (ninth) and Rock Your World (17th) ran in the Derby, in which Bourbonic placed 13th of 19. Rock Your World and Grade 2 winner Hot Rod Charlie are seen as pacesetters in the mile-and-a-half Test of the Champion. Rock Your World broke poorly in the Derby, allowing Medina Spirit a frontrunning trip for a mile and a quarter.
Said Pletcher, an incoming Hall of Famer who has won the Belmont three times: "To me it's Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie and Rock Your World, if he comes back to his Santa Anita Derby form."
Essential Quality is a homebred colt representing internationally famous Godolphin Stable, which saw plans for a second Belmont starter scrubbed when Rebel's Romance developed an infection in his hind leg.
Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 5:47 p.m. CDT with TV coverage on NBC (Resort Channel 4).
WEEKEND WINNERS
The one-two finishers in the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes May 1 scored weekend victories for trainer Brad Cox, who also conditions Essential Quality.
Fulsome took the Grade 3 $150,000 Matt Winn Saturday at Churchill Downs, while Warrant, on a sloppy track, won the weather-delayed $300,000 Texas Derby Monday at Lone Star Park. Both were betting favorites.
Fulsome, by Into Mischief, has won his last three races -- all on dirt -- after making his first four career starts on turf. Winning an off-the-turf allowance April 10 at Keeneland, Fulsome won the Oaklawn Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths.
Fulsome, ridden by Florent Geroux, won the Matt Winn with a fast-rated mile and sixteenth of 1:42.88, his fourth victory from seven starts for breeder Juddmonte Farms. Fulsome paid $5.40 to win, finishing immediately ahead of Kentucky Derby starters O Besos and Helium.
"He had two solid works here at Churchill after winning the Oaklawn Stakes," Cox said. "We were very confident in him by the way he was training. He got off a step slow but he really finished up fast today and was impressive doing so."
Warrant ($7.80) won the Texas Derby by three quarters of a length over Mr. Wireless, a two-time Oaklawn winner this year trained by Bret Calhoun.
Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock placed fourth in the Texas Derby for trainer Steve Asmussen, whose father, Keith, is co-owner. Super Stock, a son of Dialed In, placed 16th in the Kentucky Derby.
Oaklawn-raced Mo Mosa ($48.60) scored a 3 1/2-length triumph in Monday's Grade 3 $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Park. Coming off an April 24 stakes victory at Fonner Park, Mo Mosa went a mile in the slop in 1:37.15, equaling the biggest career win for jockey Ramon Vazquez.
Oaklawn stakes winners C Z Rocket and Silver Prospector ran second and third in the Sexton Mile.