Horse racing betting

Online betting players are gearing up for the final jewel in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, which is a difficult test for only the top three-year-olds in the racing world. Instead of a battle of horses, though, this race could end up being a battle of the Hall-of-Fame trainers. Who will have the upper hand in this rubber match?

What: Horse Betting
When: Saturday, June 5th, 5:00 PM ET
Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
2009 Winner: Summer Bird

The Storyline

There will be no Triple Crown winner for the 33nd straight year, but the Belmont Stakes will still be one of the top races of the year. This 1 ?-mile race is the oldest of the Triple Crown races, and it’s known as the toughest of the trio due to its length, which makes it the longest dirt track on the continent.

Belmont Stakes Betting – The History

This will be the 142nd edition of the Belmont Stakes, which was first held in 1867, and it’s called the “Test of Champions” because of its length, which three-year-old horses don’t usually ride. Secretariat romped to a 31-length victory in 1973 to wrap up his Triple Crown, and he is one of 11 horses that have won the Belmont Stakes to go on and produce another winner in this event, as he sired Risen Star, who won in 1988.

Last year’s winner, Summer Bird, was another descendant of a Belmont winner as his father was Birdstone, who also sired last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Mine That Bird. Summer Bird would go on to beat his sibling in the Belmont, which kept Calvin Borel from the jockey’s version of the Triple Crown.

Belmont Stakes Betting– The Favorites

You would have to think that the favorites would be horses trained by either Bob Baffert or Todd Pletcher, whose horses won the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Pletcher won his first Kentucky Derby in 25 tries thanks to a thrilling ride by Borel, who steered Super Saver to the victory, Borel’s third in the last four Kentucky Derbies. But Super Saver faded to eighth in the Preakness Stakes as Lookin At Lucky, who was a favorite at Churchill Downs along with Super Saver, romped to the win at Pimlico.

Neither horse will make the trip to Belmont Park for this race, which leaves a wide-open field. This is the third time in the last 40 years that the winner(s) of the first two jewels of the Triple Crown have skipped the Belmont Stakes, but it gives another horse a chance to step up to the plate. However, you have to consider any horse trained by Pletcher or Baffert, who both have a win at Belmont Park.

Belmont Stakes Betting – The Field

Other options in your best sportsbook could be Ice Box, who finished second in the Kentucky Derby and probably would have won if the race had gone just a little bit more. Ice Box is trained by Nick Zito, who has won a pair of Belmont Stakes, and he’s finished second six times in this race. Because of his finish in the Preakness, Ice Box could very well end up as the favorite at Belmont Park, or it could be Fly Down, who romped to a win in the Dwyer Stakes, which is the big prep race for the Belmont Stakes. First Dude will be another horse to watch in your best sportsbook after his second-place run at the Preakness.

Belmont Stakes Prediction & Outlook

It’s still very early to pick a winner in this race, as we don’t know post positions, jockeys, or track conditions yet, but we’re betting on a showdown between horses trained by Pletcher or Baffert, who didn’t have a horse in last year’s Belmont, while the Pletcher-trained Dunkirk finished second to Summer Bird. Pletcher would like to avenge the poor showing of Super Saver at the Preakness, and he could even enlist Borel once again. Check out which horses he has in the field before making your sports betting pick for the Belmont.