The run upto the Belmont Stakes has been full of surprises. With neither Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming nor Preakness winner Cloud Computing running in the third leg of the Triple Crown and the clear favourite Classic Empire out of the race with a foot abscess, the Belmont Stakes 2017 is anybody’s game.

Irish War Cry, the horse that almost wasn’t there, is now the favourite. He looked good on his first spin around the Belmont oval, while stable mate Epicharis is afflicted with Laminitis and may be out of the field. Irish War Cry’s trainer Graham Motion said, "I don't know how I can sit here with a horse who's in good form and not run him in a classic." I guess the statement says it all!

Chad Brown’s charge, Twisted Tom seems to tick many boxes with two winners of the Belmont in his family and he’s won four of his six lifetime starts. But he’s on an inside post and its his first graded stakes.

Though Tapwrit is one of the few graded stakes winners in the field, he’s been winless since March, after the Tampa Bay Derby and he barely moved a muscle in the blue grass in the Derby. But then again, he facing here lesser competition than he has recently. Victor Espinoza rides another multiple graded stakes winner. His stable mate from the Kentucky Derby - Gormley's trainer was undecided about entering him in the Belmont Stakes. But Shirreffs finally relented after seeing is excellent form.

J Boys Echo is still an interesting longshot under his regular jockey Albarado is back in the saddle after being injured shortly before the Kentucky Derby. Most interesting thing which has happened with this horse, is that the celebrity chef Bobby Flay has recently bought a share in the horse J Boys Echo.

Lookin At Lee is the only horse to run in all three legs of the Triple Crown this year, the surprise runner-up in the Kentucky Derby finished fourth in the Preakness and just missed hitting the show spot. And he’s under jockey Ortiz, who won last year's Belmont and although he’s one of the exotics, but with so few top horses, he’s definitely in the running to atleast place. Senior Investment trained by McPeek the third-place finisher in the Preakness comes back on three weeks’ rest to contest the Belmont’s 12 furlongs. He’s been looking good on the Belmont oval, under Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith for the first time, perhaps the best big-money rider in the game and one that has twice won this race.

Calumet Farm owned Patch has captured the imagination of racing fans. He's in with a long shot in the Belmont Stakes’ field tomorrow. Whereas Multiplier is expected to place in the top five as its an industry secret,his trainer Walsh, doesn’t throw his horses where they don’t belong.

Silverton Hill's Meantime is in fine racing form more than 48 hours ahead of the Belmont Stakes, trainer Brian Lynch said Thursday morning. Hollywood Handsome is again a long shot but they both have the right speed and stamina to win. 

All in all the Belmont Stakes is wide open. May the best horse win!