Tiz the Law Wins Belmont Stakes 2020

Saturday evening, 10 horses headed to the track for the long-awaited return of the Triple Crown. [...]

By John Newby

Saturday evening, 10 horses headed to the track for the long-awaited return of the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes, which traditionally follows the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, kicked off the 2020 iteration and fired up viewers. Ultimately, Tiz the Law raced to the finish line first and started the Triple Crown with a win.

Tap It To Win led the race early, followed by Fore Left and Tiz the Law. This order continued throughout most of the race as the top-three held off the other horses. However, Tiz the Law took over with one furlong remaining and began racing away from the competition. The horse secured the victory by four lengths while the jockey proclaimed that he has the right horse to win the Kentucky Derby in September.

Entering Saturday's event, Tiz the Law faced the best odds (6-5) to secure the victory at Belmont Park. The Barstool Sports Advisors repeatedly mentioned the horse as a safe bet for those placing wagers. Dave Portnoy mistakenly said that the Tiz the Law won in Arkansas despite not competing, but the oddsmakers still agreed that the horse was the best option ahead of the start.

Along with Tiz the Law, Tap It To Win and Dr. Post faced favorable odds to win on Saturday. All of the 10 competitors are descendants of the 1973 Triple Crown champion, Secretariat, but this trio still entered the race as the "safest" option. Jungle Runner, on the other hand, had 50-1 odds and became more of a longshot.

Unlike previous iterations, the 152nd Belmont Stakes drew attention due to its uniqueness. Fans did not attend the highly-anticipated race due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, NBC Sports and the New York Racing Association worked with a much smaller crew at Belmont Park. Only 50 crew members spent time at the racing facility instead of 200.

In addition to working with reduced numbers, the Belmont Stakes also had a broadcast crew spread across multiple states. Host Mike Tirico and analyst Randy Moss spent the day in Stamford, Connecticut. Analyst Jerry Bailey and handicapper Eddie Olczyk also participated in the broadcast but did so from their respective homes in Florida and Chicago.

Despite the major changes to the Belmont Stakes due to the coronavirus pandemic, the fans still expressed excitement about the return of racing. They have been hoping to watch the Triple Crown since the Kentucky Derby's delay in early May, and Saturday's race provided this opportunity. The fans didn't care that the events are out of order; they just expressed happiness about live sports taking place.

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