Updated List of Jockeys in the Field for the Belmont Stakes

While the speed and stamina of each horse is critical, it is equally important to have a jockey that understands how to guide a horse around the grueling 1.5 mile track at Belmont Park.

Experience for a jockey doesn’t guarantee success for the horse he’s riding, but it can definitely help that horse win the race. Below is a list of the potential horses in the field and the jockeys who are expected to be on them at the 151st running of the Belmont Stakes this Saturday.

List of Expected Horses and Jockeys in the Field & Updated Odds to Win

Top Jockeys Expected to Run at the 2019 Belmont Stakes

Mike Smith (Bourbon War) – It’s been a remarkable career for Smith, who is still competing at the top of the game at the age of 53. Smith was on top of 2018 Belmont winner Justify, who completed the rare feat of winning the Triple Crown. That’s now three wins at the Belmont for Smith. The previous two were in 2010 on top Drosselmeyer and in 2013 on Palace Malice.  This year Smith will be on Bourbon War, who was a late entrant into the race and a horse that many believe has what it takes to win.

John Velazquez (Intrepid Heart) – Velazquez is the only other jockey in the field with multiple wins at the Belmont Stakes. His most recent victory came in 2012 on top of Union Rags, which came just 5 years after he first won the final leg of the Triple Crown on top Rags to Riches in 2007. When the 47-year-old mounts Intrepid Heart on Saturday, it will be his 23rd start in this historic race.

Irad Ortiz Jr (Tax) – Ortiz Jr. won this race in 2016 top of Creator at 10 to 1 odds (4 horses had better odds to win). Unlike the previous two veterans, Irad is pretty new to the scene, as he’s just 26-years-old. Ortiz Jr. was your 2018 Eclipse Award winner and his 153 victories and more than $12 million in purse earnings are both tops for U.S. jockeys in 2019.

Jose Ortiz (Tacitus) – Jose is the younger brother (25 years-old) of Irad and he too has tasted glory at the Belmont, winning in 2017 on top of Tapwrit. According to the oddsmakers, he’s in line for win number two at the final leg of the Triple Crown, as he is set to ride odds on favorite Tacitus, who finished 3rd at the Kentucky Derby.

Joel Rosario (Sir Winston) – Rosario is another previous winner of this race, but his win at the Belmont came way back in 2014 on top of Tonalist. Getting back to the winner circle in 2019 would be quite the accomplishment, as Rosario is set to ride Sir Winston. Right now Sir Winston is listed at 16 to 1 to win, only Joevia at 25 to 1 has worse odds in the field.

Triple Crown History: List of Jockeys That Have Won the Belmont

2018 – Mike Smith (Justify)
2017 – Jose Ortiz (Tapwrit)
2016 – Irad Ortiz Jr (Creator)
2015 – Victor Espinoza (American Pharoah)
2014 – Joel Rosario (Tonalist)
2013 – Mike Smith (Palace Malice)
2012 – John Velazquez (Union Rags)
2011 – Jose Valdivia Jr. (Ruler on Ice)
2010 – Mike Smith (Drosselmeyer)
2009 – Kent Desormeaux (Summer Bird)
2008 – Alan Garcia (Da’Tara)
2007 – John Velazquez (Rags to Riches)
2006 – Fernando Jara (Jazil)
2005 – Jeremy Rose (Afleet Alex)
2004 – Edgar Prado (Birdstone)
2003 – Jerry Bailey (Empire Maker)
2002 – Edgar Prado (Sarava)
2001 – Gary Stevens (Point Given)
2000 – Pat Day (Commendable)
1999 – Jose Santos (Lemon Drop Kid)
1998 – Gary Stevens (Victory Gallop)
1997 – Chris McCarron (Touch Gold)
1996 – Rene Douglas (Editor’s Note)
1995 – Gary Stevens (Thunder Gulch)
1994 – Pat Day (Tabasco Cat)
1993 – Julie Krone (Colonial Affair)
1992 – Ed Delahoussaye (A.P. Indy)
1991 – Jerry Bailey (Hansel)
1990 – Michael Kinane (Go and Go)
1989 – Pat Day (Easy Goer)
1988 – Ed Delahoussaye (Risen Star)
1987 – Craig Perret (Bet Twice)
1986 – Chris McCarron (Danzig Connection)
1985 – Eddie Maple (Creme Fraiche)
1984 – Laffit Pincay Jr. (Swale)
1983 – Laffit Pincay Jr. (Caveat)
1982 – Laffit Pincay Jr. (Conquistador Cielo)
1981 – George Martens (Summing)
1980 – Eddie Maple (Temperence Hill)
1979 – Ruben Hernandez (Coastal)
1978 – Steve Cauthen (Affirmed)
1977 – Jean Cruguet (Seattle Slew)
1976 – Angel Cordero Jr. (Bold Forbes)
1975 – Bill Shoemaker (Avatar)
1974 – Migueal Rivera (Little Current)
1973 – Ron Turcotte (Secretariat)
1972 – Ron Turcotte (Riva Ridge)
1971 – Walter Blum (Pass Catcher)
1970 – John L. Rotz (High Echelon)
1969 – Braulio Baeza (Arts and Letters)
1968 – Heliodoro Gustines (Stage Door Johnny)
1967 – Bill Shoemaker (Damascus)
1966 – William Boland (Amberoid)
1965 – Johnny Sellers (Hail To All)
1964 – Manuel Ycaza (Quadrangle)
1963 – Braulio Baeza (Chateaugay)
1962 – Bill Shoemaker (Jaipur)
1961 – Braulio Baeza (Sherluck)
1960 – Bill Hartack (Celtic Ash)
1959 – Bill Shoemaker (Sword Dancer)
1958 – Pete Anderson (Cavan)
1957 – Bill Shoemaker (Gallant Man)
1956 – David Erb (Needles)
1955 – Eddie Arcaro (Nashua)
1954 – Eric Guerin (High Gun)
1953 – Eric Guerin (Native Dancer)
1952 – Eddie Arcaro (One Count)
1951 – David Gorman (Couterpoint)
1950 – William Boland (Middleground)
1949 – Ted Atkinson (Capot)
1948 – Eddie Arcaro (Citation)
1947 – Ruperto Donoso (Phalanx)
1946 – Warren Mehrtens (Assault)
1945 – Eddie Arcaro (Pavot)
1944 – Gayle Smith (Bounding Home)
1943 – Johnny Longden (Count Fleet)
1942 – Eddie Arcaro (Shut Out)
1941 – Eddie Arcaro (Whirlaway)
1940 – Fred Smith (Bimelech)
1939 – James Stout (Johnstown)
1938 – James Stout (Pasteurized)
1937 – Charley Kurtsinger (War Admiral)
1936 – James Stout (Granville)
1935 – Willie Saunders (Omaha)
1934 – Wayne Wright (Peace Chance)
1933 – Mack Garner (Hurryoff)
1932 – Tommy Malley (Faireno)
1931 – Charley Kurtsinger (Twenty Grand)
1930 – Earl Sande (Gallant Fox)
1929 – Mack Garner (Blue Larkspur)
1928 – Clarence Kummer (Vito)
1927 – Earl Sande (Chance Shot)
1926 – Albert Johnson (Crusader)
1925 – Albert Johnson (American Flag)
1924 – Earl Sande (Mad Play)
1923 – Earl Sande (Zev)
1922 – C.H. Miller (Pillory)
1921 – Earl Sande (Grey Lag)
1920 – Clarence Kummer (Man o’ War)
1919 – Johnny Loftus (Sir Barton)
1918 – Frank Robinson (Johren)
1917 – James Butwell (Hourless)
1916 – Everett Haynes (Friar Rock)
1915 – George Byrne (The Finn)
1914 – Merritt Buxton (Luke McLuke)
1913 – Roscoe Troxler (Prince Eugene)
1910 – James Butwell (Sweep)
1909 – Eddie Dugan (Joe Madden)
1908 – Joe Notter (Colin)
1907 – George Mountain (Peter Pan)
1906 – Lucien Lyne (Burgomaster)
1905 – Gene Hildebrand (Tanya)
1904 – George Odom (Delhi)
1903 – John Bullman (Africander)
1902 – John Bullman (Masterman)
1901 – Henry Spencer (Commando)
1900 – Nash Turner (Ildrim)
1899 – Richard Clawson (Jean Bereaud)
1898 – Fred Littlefield (Bowling Brook)
1897 – Joe Scherrer (Scottish Chieftain)
1896 – Henry Griffin (Hastings)
1895 – Fred Taral (Belmar)
1894 – Willie Simms (Henry of Navarre)
1893 – Willie Simms (Comanche)
1892 – William Hayward (Patron)
1891 – Edward Garrison (Foxford)
1890 – Pike Barnes (Burlington)
1889 – William Hayward (Eric)
1888 – Jim McLaughlin (Sir Dixon)
1887 – Jim McLaughlin (Hanover)
1886 – Jim McLaughlin (Inspector B)
1885 – Paul Duffy (Tyrant)
1884 – Jim McLaughlin (Panique)
1883 – Jim McLaughlin (George Kinney)
1882 – Jim McLaughlin (Forester)
1881 – Tom Costello (Saunterer)
1880 – W. Hughes (Grenada)
1879 – George Evans (Spendthrift)
1878 – W. Hughes (Duke of Magenta)
1877 – C. Holloway (Cloverbrook)
1876 – Billy Donohue (Algerine)
1875 – Bobby Swim (Calvin)
1874 – George Barbee (Saxon)
1873 – James Rowe Sr. (Springbok)
1872 – James Rowe Sr. (Joe Daniels)
1871 – Walter Miller (Harry Bassett)
1870 – Edward D. Brown (Kingfisher)
1869 – C. Miller (Fenian)
1868 – Bobby Swim (General Duke)
1867 – Gilbert Patrick (Ruthless)