Belmont Stakes Betting Guide
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By Vegas Odds
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Horse racing and gambling go hand in hand—and even that is an understatement. Three of the biggest racing events in the U.S. occur over six weeks between May and June, as the Triple Crown races are staged. The best three-year-olds on the dirt compete for the most prestigious prizes in North America, and only a select few have been able to win all three races. The Belmont Stakes forms the final leg of the Triple Crown, and it sees this year’s Classic field finally step up to 1 1/2 miles for the first time.
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All three races are unique in their own right, but the Belmont Stakes have an entirely different feel when compared to the others. Not only does it contain the tightest field with competitive odds yearly, but it constantly answers the question of whether any contender can join the elite and win all three Triple Crown races.
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Table of Contents
Belmont Adds Great Value
Making wagers on horse racing is one-part art and one-part science. Bettors will spend hours deliberating their picks by reading through the form lines of all leading contenders. That is even more important for this leg of the Triple Crown, as bettors will need to find the horse in the field with the best chance of lasting the grueling 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park. However, there is great value here, and every gambler knows it whether they visit the track weekly or only tune in for the big races.
2023 Belmont Stakes Information
| Event | 2023 Belmont Stakes |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, June 10th, 2023 |
| Event Start | 16:00 ET |
| Post Time | 18:45 ET |
| Location | Belmont Park, New York |
| Prize | $1.5 million |
| Distance | 1 1/2 Miles |
Belmont Stakes Previous Winners
| Year | Winner | Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mo Donegal | +250 | Irad Ortiz Jr | Todd Pletcher |
| 2021 | Essential Quality | +200 | Luis Saez | Brad Cox |
| 2020 | Tiz The Law | +120 | Manny Franco | Barclay Tagg |
| 2019 | Sir Winston | +1000 | Joel Rosario | Mark Casse |
| 2018 | Justify | -125 | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert |
| 2017 | Tapwrit | +600 | Jose Ortiz | Todd Pletcher |
| 2016 | Creator | +1500 | Irad Ortiz | Jr.Steve Asmussen |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | -167 | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert |
| 2014 | Tonalist | +1200 | Joel Rosario | Chris Clement |
| 2013 | Palace Malice | +1300 | Mike Smith | Todd Pletcher |
| 2012 | Union Rags | +300 | John Velazquez | Michael Matz |
| 2011 | Ruler on Ice | +2400 | Jose Valdivia, Jr. | Kelly Breen |
| 2010 | Drosselmeyer | +1300 | Mike Smith | Bill Mott |
| 2009 | Summer Bird | +1200 | Kent Desormeaux | Tim Ice |
Who Will Win the Belmont Stakes?
“Who will win?” remains the perennial question that is asked over and over again. Unlike the previous legs of the esteemed Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes field of entrants is usually slashed down to ten entries, making for a very focused event.
Bettors must consider many factors before making a wager on the Belmont Stakes. That includes looking at the trainer’s and jockey’s experience in the Triple Crown race, as well as examining how well the horses have performed in previous outings. Unlike the other two Triple Crown races, the breeding is also essential reading, as it is the perfect indicator as to whether the contender will be able to make it home over 1 1/2 miles.
Belmont Stakes History
The Belmont Stakes has an esteemed history. It all started in 1866 when Jerome Park Racetrack arrived in the Bronx by a stock market analyst, Leonard Jerome. A year after, the clopping of hooves could be heard, and the events continued until 1890 when the Belmont Stakes moved to Morris Park, followed by a few other venues until the race finally found its new home at Belmont Park.
There have been challenges in the long history of the event, with laws in 1911 and 1912 putting a temporary damper on the hopes of horse racing fans to place wagers legally. Yet, the tradition has lived on, and even to date, the attendees like to dress in the distinct opulent style of the original event.
Guide to Belmont Park
Belmont Park is one of the iconic venues for horse racing. It is steeped in history and tradition. The track opened in 1905, and it is 1.5 miles long. The Belmont Stakes has been held at this location throughout its history, bar a short spell that necessitated the reconstruction of the venue. The track seems much larger than a usual track. In fact, the 1.5-mile circumference of the outside dirt track, aka the Big Sandy, makes it the longest in North America.
Triple Crown Winners
The Belmont Stakes is worth winning, but it also means a lot more to the jockeys and trainers looking at the Triple Crown title. In its long 150-year history, the Belmont Stakes has crowned a Triple Crown winner on 13 occasions, with the first winner arriving nearly 60 years after the event started in 1919. Below, you can find the only horses to have achieved Triple Crown success:
| Horse | Year Won |
|---|---|
| Sir Barton | 1919 |
| Gallant Fox | 1930 |
| Omaha | 1935 |
| War Admiral | 1937 |
| Whirlaway | 1941 |
| Count Fleet | 1943 |
| Assault | 1946 |
| Citation | 1948 |
| Secretariat | 1973 |
| Seattle Slew | 1977 |
| Affirmed | 1978 |
| American Pharaoh | 2015 |
| Justify | 2018 |
Guide to Making Successful Belmont Stakes Bets
Unlike other sports, many factors must be considered before making a wager on horse racing action. However, below, you can find the most important tips to follow to make more insightful wagers on the Belmont Stakes.
Jockey’s Experience
A lot of attention is given out to horses, and the role of a jockey is often forgotten. Even though a horse’s stamina and speed are crucial to success, a good jockey can extract or waste a horse’s potential. Belmont Park’s track can test even the best horses to the limit. An experienced jockey certainly does not guarantee success, but it is a crucial factor.
Betting On The Favorite
Due to the size of the field for the Belmont Stakes, it isn’t exactly the massive betting heat that is offered with the Kentucky Derby. Over recent years, we have seen on multiple occasions that it has paid to side with the favorite in the betting. In fact, the previous three winners of the race have been at the top of the betting, while four of the previous five victors have been the favorite.
Rest Schedule
It takes a lot of stamina and strength to succeed at the Belmont Stakes. The 1 1/2 mile distance, along with the condensed schedule, can often result in surprise outcomes. Even if the horse has been showing great potential leading up to the event, it is a good idea to go with a runner that has not taken part in major events. The number of runners that compete in all three Triple Crown races is few and far between nowadays, which means many bettors lean towards contenders in the Belmont Stakes that have avoided the Preakness Stakes, and have had extra time to recover following their exertions in the Kentucky Derby.
Track Condition
The mile-and-a-half distance can take a toll on horses even in the best conditions. If the track is wet, the race’s outcome can differ greatly. It pays to keep abreast with the weather conditions during race week. Thankfully, there are plenty of avenues to get this information. Belmont Park is one of the best-maintained racing surfaces in the USA, but weather conditions can always make a huge difference.
Breed
Not all horses are being bred specifically to tackle the Belmont Stakes, and it takes a special set of skills to last through the 1 ½ miles. Even though it is difficult to predict the ability to last through the race, a good indicator will be the performance of sires over long distances. Therefore, a good point is to side with a sire that can go more than 1 ¼ miles. Furthermore, it is better to avoid horses that are only fit for going a mile or less. A great example would be champion sire Tapit, who has already provided winners like Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), and Tapwrit (2017).
Inside Lane
The track may feature a long straight even before horses make the first turn. However, the importance of the inside lane has increased in recent years. It is seen as a favorable position since more than 20 Belmont champions have started in this position. This is a remarkable statistic because other positions have yielded less than twice this number. If you are not confident about the horse on the inside lane, posts three and five are also seen as the next choices since they have produced more than ten winners.
Belmont Stakes Betting Markets: Straight Bets
Win – The win market is considered the easiest for the Belmont Stakes. You only need to pick the winner among the host of runners.
Place – This is seen as a bet with insurance, as you can win the bet as long as the chosen horse finishes first or second. The odds of winning the bet improve substantially, but the price for a place finish is not impressive. This bet can be a good choice when two horses are closely matched.
Show – A show bet pays when you pick a horse that will finish in one of the top three positions. The chances of success improve greatly with this bet, which is not known for paying out well.
Exotic Options
Quiniela – You must pick horses that will finish in the first and second positions. Crucially, the bet is not focused on the finishing order. Even though this market requires two picks, it can pay off very well. You can also go with a Quiniela box, which is similar in all other parameters except that you can pick three or more horses.
Exacta – This bet is the same as the Quiniela, but the exact order of the finish is taken into account. The Exacta box is once again similar in terms of the requirement, but you can pick more horses.
Trifecta – You have to pick the first three positions at Belmont Stakes. Crucially, the horses that you pick must finish in the exact order. A trifecta box is a little easier since three or more horses can be picked, and they can finish in the top three in any order.
Superfecta – Any success in a Belmont Stakes exotic bet requires luck, and this is especially true of Superfecta, where you need to pick horses for the first four positions in the exact order.
