For the first time ever, the Belmont Stakes will begin the American Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing — not the per-usual Kentucky Derby. It’s a historic change, but not the only difference for this year’s pandemic-influenced event. Ahead of the June 20 race, we give you an in-depth preview and free betting picks to make.
As we inch closer to race time, Belmont Stakes betting odds are available. Here are the horses that online bookies are pegging as the current favorites to win:
We'll give you our free betting pick momentarily. However, we can't forget to mention that online sportsbooks are filled with sign-up bonuses that can net you hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play. It's as easy as signing up and funding your account to earn the free reward. That, combined with Belmont Stakes betting, can net you a nice profit!
The 152nd running of the Belmont Stakes will be unlike any ever before in its storied history. Typically, it's the last event of the Triple Crown, one where history is potentially on the line if a horse has won the two events before it.
This time, though, it'll be the very first crown race.
Alas, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes have been rescheduled until Septemeber and October, respectively. That's a four-month stretch to contest the whole Triple Crown, whereas it's usually done in five weeks.
The race itself will be totally different, too. In years past, it's one-and-a-half miles long — the lengthiest of the three crown races. Now it's only one and one-eighth miles with just one turn, making it shorter than the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Last but not least, the event will be run in an empty Belmont Park rather than in front of a capacity crowd of 80,000. The sound of hoofs pounding the dirt and jockeys whipping the thoroughbreds will be all that's heard on TV.
A one-million-dollar grand prize still awaits the winner of the race. But given all the changes, one has to wonder, will the 2020 event have an asterisk right next to it in the history books? Only time will tell.
Aside from the aforementioned favorites, here are other contenders from the remaining field:
| Underdog Horses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sole Volante |
+700 | +600 | +800 |
|
Max Player |
+1600 | +1400 | +1600 |
|
Modernist |
+1800 | +1600 | +1800 |
|
Farmington Road |
+2000 | +2200 | +2000 |
All in all, the field will be relatively short. A number of horses — Nadal, Maxfield, and Charlatan — have withdrawn recently. All three were actually considered front-runners heading into the event. No Nadal and Charlatan also mean legendary trainer Bob Baffert, who's won this race three times before, will be without a horse this year.
Between the horses that have already pulled out of the event, the less practice/train time the horses have done this year due to the pandemic, and the changes made to the Belmont Stakes race itself, add all those variables together, and we might just have the most unconventional Triple Crown event yet. You can't help but feel that anything could transpire come Saturday.
The staggering favorite is Tiz The Law, but why? The Barclay Tagg-trained horse earned victories in his two starts this year, including the Grade 1 Florida Derby back on March 28. However, Tiz The Law didn't just win, he ran away from the competition. Both wins came by a combined seven and one-fourth lengths.
Perhaps helping matter for Tiz The Law is that he's bred right in New York's backyard. If he were to win, he'd become the first New York-bred horse to win the Belmont since 1882 — ending a 138-year dry spell.
It would also be Tagg's first-ever win at Belmont. The race has long eluded the 82-year-old trainer, including in 2003 when his attempt at Triple Crown sweep was thwarted by a third-place finish.
Outside of the favorite, pay close attention to Todd Pletcher's two colts, Dr Post and Farmington Road. Pletcher's pedigree alone is worth throwing a few dollars their way. The trainer has three Belmont wins to his name in 2007, 2013, and 2017 — more than any other trainer that'll saddle up a horse come Saturday.
Another darkhorse candidate we like is Sole Volante. More than anything, he's a momentum pick. Sole Volante is fresh off a runner-up placing at the Tampa Bay Derby on June 10. It's a quick turnaround, but the Belmont's shorter length could actually benefit the horse.
Nonetheless, if we're picking only one horse to prevail, it has to be Tiz The Law. In such an up-in-the-air race, you have to lean on a horse that's proven himself. Tiz The Law is that horse. He's a stalker that can run with the best of them. We expect Tiz The Law to blow past the competition for a commanding victory.
Betting pick to make: Tiz The Law
That does it for our Belmont Stakes preview. Be sure to lock in your bets before the June 20 start time. If you're looking for an online bookie to do so, check out the curated list below.
Getting started at any one of these sportsbooks is quick and easy. Once you fund your account, you'll be ready to wager on the race, plus more sports down the line!
Category : News
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