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Essential Quality payout odds to win the Belmont Stakes were coming in at $20 for every $10 bet.
Preakness winner Rombauer, the Preakness Stakes winner, and Essential Quality, the Kentucky Derby favorite that finished 4th, headline a field of eight horses for the third jewel of the Triple Crown.
"He ran what I thought was a winning race in the Derby; he didn't have the trip, but he showed up and he's been improving in every start," said trainer Brad Cox. "I'm confident that he can handle the mile and a half. Just based off his works and his races, he's very steady and doesn't seem to get tired. He has a tremendous amount of stamina that I think he was just blessed with based on his pedigree.
"He's got a nice balance of speed and stamina, which is what it takes to win any grade 1. He's never shown signs that he couldn't (get the 12 furlongs), but you never know until you do it."
153rd Belmont Stakes Morning Line Odds
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 1 | Bourbonic | Todd Pletcher | Kendrick Carmouche | 15/1 |
| 2 | Essential Quality | Brad Cox | Luis Saez | 2/1 |
| 3 | Rombauer | Michael McCarthy | John Velaquez | 3/1 |
| 4 | Hot Rod Charlie | Doug O’Neill | Flavien Prat | 7/2 |
| 5 | France Go de Ina | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | Hideyuki Mori | 30/1 |
| 6 | Known Agenda | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 6/1 |
| 7 | Rock Your World | John Sadler | Joel Rosario | 9/2 |
| 8 | Overtook | Todd Pletcher | Manny Franco | 20/1 |
- Ean Lamb, Gambling911.com
