Belmont Stakes 2023: Post Positions, Odds and Race Schedule for Elmont | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

National Treasure was among the pre-draw favorites, which wasn't surprising. The Bob Baffert-trained horse had a strong performance at the Preakness and will again face a field lacking in early speed.

Jockey John Velazquez, who steered National Treasure to the Preakness victory, will be back in the saddle on Saturday.

However, National Treasure is not the overall favorite and will face some strong competition from the likes of Forte, Angel of Empire and Tapit Trice.

Forte was expected to have a strong showing at the Kentucky Derby but was a late scratch due to a foot injury. The three-year-old was placed on a mandatory 14-day veterinary list and will see his first action since the Florida Derby on April 1.

Trainer Todd Pletcher had Forte and Tapit Trice on the track Saturday for their final breezes.

Forte "came back and cooled out quickly. It was exactly what we were hoping he would go out there and do and I think based off the strength of his breezes, he's coming into it as well as we hope," Pletcher said, per a New York Racing Association press release.

Leading up to the Kentucky Derby, Forte had won five straight races and was considered a legitimate Derby contender. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who will be guiding Forte, won last year's Belmont Stakes atop Mo Donegal.

Tapit Trice came in off of four consecutive wins but finished seventh at Churchill Downs. Jockey Luis Saez won the 2021 Belmont Stakes atop Essential Quality.

Angel of Empire, a Brad H. Cox-trained horse, followed up two consecutive victories—including one at the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby—with a third-place finish at the Kentucky Derby.

It's worth noting that the two horses who finished in front of Angel of Empire in early May, Mage and Two Phil's—aren't in the Belmont field. Angel of Empire's jockey, Flavien Prat, has never won the Belmont but won the 2019 Kentucky Derby with Country House and the 2021 Preakness Stakes with Rombauer.

Angel of Empire is one of three horses trained by Cox in the field, along with Hit Show and late addition Tapit Shoes.

Cox trained Essential Quality and will be disappointed if having such a large chunk of the field doesn't yield his second win in the final leg of the Triple Crown.

"There's pressure, we definitely don't want to have a bunch of horses nominated and not be a factor in the races," Cox said, per David Grening of Daily Racing Form. "We want to make our presence felt."

Fans can certainly expect Angel of Empire and the other favorites to make their presence felt on Saturday.