ELMONT, N.Y. – After wavering a bit over the weekend, the connections of Sole Volante on Monday confirmed the horse will wheel back in 10 days and run in Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Stakes. Sole Volante could end up the second betting choice behind probable odds-on favorite Tiz the Law in what is shaping up to be an eight- or nine-horse field for the Belmont, which due to the COVID-19 pandemic will actually be the first leg of the 2020 Triple Crown and be run at 1 1/8 miles. Last Wednesday, Sole Volante won a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park by 1 3/4 lengths. Though the race was designed to be used as a stepping-stone to the Belmont, his connections also considered giving the colt more time and awaiting the July 11 Blue Grass at Keeneland, which lost its likely favorite Maxfield to injury last week. One issue regarding the Belmont for Sole Volante was how to ship the horse from Florida to New York. Sole Volante was scheduled to be shipped Tuesday by FedEx, on a flight that originates from South Florida to Newark, N.J., with a stop in Memphis. :: Belmont Stakes news, contenders, and more Monday, Sole Volante put in a strong gallop at Palm Meadows, according to trainer Patrick Biancone. “His energy level is very high, very good,” Biancone said. “We gave him a prep for the Belmont, and he came out of it the way I was expecting. The only way you cannot win a race is if you don’t run.” Prior to that allowance win, Sole Volante had won three of his first five starts, including the Sam. F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. He also finished second in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby. Luca Panici will retain the mount for the Belmont. Entries are due and post positions will be assigned at noon Wednesday at Belmont. As of Monday, the eight confirmed runners, with riders, were Tiz the Law (Manny Franco), Sole Volante (Panici), Dr Post (Irad Oritz Jr.), Farmington Road (Javier Castellano), Max Player (Joel Rosario), Tap It to Win (John Velazquez), Pneumatic (Ricardo Santana Jr.), and Jungle Runner (Reylu Gutierrez). :: Click to learn about our DRF's Free Past Performance program. Modernist, winner of the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds in February, is under consideration, but also is being considered for the $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 27. Following a strong five-furlong workout Sunday at Belmont Park, trainer Bill Mott said he would consult with owner Marty Wygod about where to run. On Sunday, trainer Steve Asmussen said that Basin, the Grade 1 Hopeful winner, was being rerouted from the Belmont to the Blue Grass, but that Pneumatic would run in the Belmont. A son of Uncle Mo, Pneumatic won his first two starts, both at Oaklawn Park, before finishing third in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes on May 23 at Churchill Downs, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by Maxfield. “It was a big step up in company,” Asmussen said. “He’s run some solid numbers. This will obviously be another step up for him, but he is going to deliver all that he has on the 20th.” Asmussen also will run longshot Jungle Runner, who won the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park last November but who has been beaten double-digit lengths in his four subsequent starts. Tiz the Law, winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in March and the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont last October, will be the heavy favorite for the Belmont. On Sunday, Tiz the Law completed his major preparations for the Belmont by working a controlled half-mile in 50.42 seconds under regular ride Manny Franco. Tiz the Law went his opening quarter in 26.47 and his final quarter in 23.95. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.35 and six furlongs in 1:16.86. “I just wanted to get a little something into him, that was all,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He’s had plenty of training.” Franco has been aboard Tiz the Law for his last two workouts and has loved what he’s felt underneath him. “I’m really confident in my horse, just need a good trip and try to do the best we can,” Franco said. “I think we have the best horse in the race.” With the repositioning of the Triple Crown races this year, the Belmont will offer qualifying points (150-60-30-15) to its top four finishers toward the Kentucky Derby, which has been rescheduled to Sept. 5. Conditions should be fine for Saturday’s Belmont as the forecast on weather.com calls for partly sunny skies with temperatures in the low 80s and only a 20 percent chance of a stray shower or thunderstorm.