On June 14th we will have the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes. Though the field is not completely set for the last leg of the Triple Crown races, we currently have 10 seemingly committed and more could follow before the official field is set.
Let’s take a look at the Early Value for the last race of the Triple Crown.
2022 Belmont Stakes
Saturday, June 11, 2022 – 06:49 PM EDT at Belmont Park
It does feel odd to not have the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in New York and the last time that occurred was way back in 1954. That’s modern racing and we still have a lot to ponder before the race. Here is the field as of pres time.
The Field
- Mo Donegal: (5-2)
- We The People: (7-2)
- Rich Strike: (9-2)
- Creative Minister: (13-2)
- Nest: (17-2)
- Ethereal Road: (10-1)
- Skippylongstocking: (14-1)
- Barber Road: (14-1)
- Howling Time: (14-1)
- Golden Glider: (20-1)
- Kuchar: (22-1)
*All odds via Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
Best Value Prior to Drawing Post Positions
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will grab most of the attention because of its improbable victory in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. Nonetheless, the betting odds at Bovada have him the third choice at 9-2. The favorite is Mo Donegal at 5-2 in this tough test of one and a half miles, which is a test of endurance and the jockey’s understanding of how to conserve their horse’s energy to have some left for the stretch run.
Favored Mo Donegal was a solid 5th at the Derby after getting off to a poor start out of the No. 1 gate. He was still running hard at the finish and five weeks of rest should help trainer Todd Pletcher’s quality horse.
Pletcher is also adding a female in Nest (17-2 odds) who was 2nd in the Kentucky Oaks. Remember that Pletcher is a three-time Belmont winner who used Rags to Riches (2007), the last filly to win the Belmont.
Dark Horses for Belmont Stakes
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset will have two entries at Belmont. We The People (7-2) is the current second choice according to the betting odds and he’s a known front-runner who won Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park back on May 14, which was on an off-track.
Horse bettors will follow his training and adjust the odds accordingly. Brisset’s long-shot entrant is Kuchar (22-1), who was second in the Oaklawn Stakes on April 23. This was his lone prior stakes appearance. Kuchar won an allowance race at Churchill the day after the Preakness.
By now everyone knows Rich Strike was an 80-1 shot at Churchill and a last-minute entry. Most don’t figure he can win here, but he’s a mystery of sorts and likely will draw attention from the wagering public to be a surprise winner.
Possible Picks for a Trifecta
Another trainer that is expected to have a pair of entries is Saffie Joseph Jr. Creative Minister (13-2) was an extremely popular pick on trifecta and superfecta cards at the Preakness and he delivered with a third-place finish. Once again CM is likely to be a betting choice and might also fit on exacta cards.
Joseph’s other horse is Skippylongstocking (14-1), who was fifth in the Preakness and might be better suited for the additional distance.
Ethereal Road (10-1) is arguably more famous for dropping out of the Derby to give Rich Strike a chance. He passed on the Preakness and ran the same day and won the lesser-regarded Sir Barton Stakes.
Filling out the field is Barber Road (14-1) who has not won in six shots since November and was a rather pedestrian 6th at the Derby. Golden Glider (20-1) second in the aforementioned Peter Pan and the Top 2 finishers in that race get their entry and starting fees waived for the Belmont Stakes.
Top Value Picks Presently
Creative Minister has reasonable odds and ran well at the Preakness and looks like a legitimate threat for a betting pick. Similar to the Preakness, the group for the Belmont is hardly top shelf.
Given how the back-end of the field looks, if someone doesn’t stand out by training, Mo Donegal odds could fall, making him a better choice today than on June 14.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
Calculators
