SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone drew post 9 and was installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite by New York Racing Association morning linemaker David Aragona as a field of 10 was entered for Saturday’s $2 million Belmont Stakes, the first-ever to be run at Saratoga. Sierra Leone, the 9-2 second choice in the Kentucky Derby, was beaten a nose in the Derby by Mystik Dan (18-1). He was hampered by lugging in and bumping with Forever Young in the stretch. Sierra Leone, who earlier in the year won the Grade 2 Risen Star and Grade 1 Blue Grass, skipped the Preakness. Twelve of the last 24 winners of the Belmont came out of the Derby and skipped the Preakness. “He’s been doing great, bounced out of the Derby, which can obviously be a tough race on horses, beautifully. He’s trained really good here, just hoping we have a good trip,” said Chad Brown, the trainer of Sierra Leone. “There are half as many horses to run down, hopefully it’ll be a little easier on him. I just hope he runs the same race he ran in the Derby.” :: DRF's Belmont Stakes Headquarters: Contenders, latest news, and more Mystik Dan won the Kentucky Derby from post 3 and he drew that post again for Saturday’s 156th Belmont. He was made the 5-1 third choice, behind the lightly raced Mindframe, who is the 7-2 second choice on Aragona’s line. Kenny McPeek, trainer of Mystik Dan, said Lance Gasaway, part owner of Mystik Dan, told him Monday morning “go there and get post 3,” McPeek said. Seize the Grey, who won the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile on Kentucky Derby Day, defeated Mystik Dan in the Preakness and drew post 1 for the Belmont, which will be run at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga due to the renovations taking place at Belmont Park. He is trained by D. Wayne Lukas, who seeks his fifth Belmont Stakes victory, and first since Commendable in 2000. This is the first time since 2013 that separate winners of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness are both running in the Belmont. That year, Preakness winner Oxbow - trained by Lukas - finished second while Derby winner Orb ran third, both behind Palace Malice. Over the last 40 years, there have been nine occasions when the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners have met in the Belmont. Only once, Swale in 1984, did the Kentucky Derby winner also win the Belmont. Five times, most recently when Afleet Alex did it in 2005, the Preakness winner has won the Belmont. The last time the Derby and Preakness winner appeared in the Belmont and neither was favored in the race was 1994 when Kentucky Derby runner-up Strodes Creek was the favorite. He finished third behind Tabasco Cat and Go for Gin, the respective Preakness and Kentucky Derby winners. The last Kentucky Derby runner-up to win the Belmont was Empire Maker in 2003. Since then, Derby runner-ups are zero for eight in the Belmont. That does not include Hot Rod Charlie, who crossed the wire third in the 2021 Kentucky Derby, but was elevated to second with the disqualification of Medina Spirit to due to a medication overage. Todd Pletcher, who came up under Lukas before forging his own Hall of Fame career, has also won the Belmont Stakes four times, most recently in 2022 with Mo Donegal. Pletcher has three runners in this year’s field - Antiquarian, the Grade 3 Peter Pan winner; Mindframe, unbeaten in two starts; and the maiden Protective. They represent starters 38, 39, and 40 in the race for Pletcher in what will be his 21st appearance - and 12th straight - in the Belmont. Mindframe, the least accomplished horse in the field, drew post 10 and was made the second morning-line choice because of the brilliant - and fast - races he has run in his first two starts. “His two races been very impressive,” Pletcher said. “Of course, we’re giving up a lot of seasoning and experience to a lot of good horses, that’s the main concern.” :: DRF Belmont Stakes Packages: Save up to 52% on PPs, Clocker Reports, Betting Strategies, and more Antiquarian drew post 5 and was made a 12-1 choice. Protective, who finished third in the Peter Pan and Wood Memorial, drew post 7 and was made the 20-1 longshot. Honor Marie, eighth in the Kentucky Derby, drew post 8 and is a 12-1 choice while Dornoch, who finished 10th in the Derby, drew post 6 and was made a 15-1 choice, the same price as The Wine Steward, the New York-bred who finished second in the Peter Pan and drew post 4 for the Belmont. Resilience , the Wood Memorial winner who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby, drew post 2 and was made 10-1 on the morning line. The Belmont Stakes will go as race 12 on a 14-race card that begins at 10:45 a.m. Scheduled post time is 6:41 p.m. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.