Belmont Stakes betting is likely to be unpredictable this year with neither the Kentucky Derby winner nor the Preakness winner in the field.
The probable favorite in Belmont Stakes odds will be Derby runner-up Ice Box. After Ice Box, the field is wide open.
Belmont Stakes betting will not have a horse that has run in all three Triple Crown races for the first time since 2006. Dublin was a consideration but trainer D. Wayne Lukas withdrew him from consideration. The Belmont is a mile and a half race that is tough on horses which is why there has been no Triple Crown winner since 1978. The field for this year’s race is looking like it could be less than ten horses. That will make handicapping the race easier than the Kentucky Derby which had 20 horses or the Preakness that ended up with 12. Looking at just a few contenders is easier than looking at many.
As you consider Belmont Stakes odds you have a lot of choices. You can bet the win, place and show and you can also bet exotics like the exacta, quinella, trifecta and superfecta. You can also play some pick threes and include the Belmont Stakes. Although Ice Box looks solid you may want to consider some longshots because the Belmont is known for upsets. In horse racing anything can happen and the Belmont Stakes is such a tough race. The race is so long that it is tough to predict the winner. Most people automatically think a closer is the way to go in this race but they are wrong.
The best Belmont Stakes betting choice is actually the horse with tactical speed. Horses that are just closers almost never win this race. You want a horse that is a stalker and is close to the pace. Even though the race is long, you don’t want a closer.
The Belmont is an unpredictable race because of the distance. Horses that are bred to run a distance can oftentimes surprise horses that are favored in this race. That could happen again this year with the favorite being a horse that did not win the Kentucky Derby. Ice Box has some nice form and a solid pedigree but it remains to be seen whether he can win the Belmont.