It is looking like a field of 10 in Belmont Stakes odds for the final race in horse racing’s Triple Crown on June 5th. The favorite in Belmont Stakes betting is likely to be Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box. Belmont Stakes odds will not be loaded with star power as Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky will not be in the field. Ice Box will get a lot of attention but there are other contenders to win the race. Dwyer Stake’s winner Fly Down and runner-up Drosselmeyer are likely to be at single-digit Belmont Stakes odds. Preakness runner-up First Dude could also get some attention.
Other horses in the Belmont Stakes betting field are expected to be Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Make Music for Me, Lone Star winner Game on Dude, Blue Grass winner Stately Victor, Stay Put, Uptowncharlybrown and Spangled Star.
Drosselmeyer recently went six furlongs in 1:14.10 for trainer Bill Mott. He will have Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the irons in place of Kent Desormeaux. The horse has finished in the top three in seven of eight career starts. Mott will be sending his fifth horse to the Belmont but his first since 1999.
First Dude is working well in advance of the Belmont. He has been in the money in four of his five starts this year including the runner-up finish in the Preakness.
The Belmont is a mile and a half race and it can be unpredictable. Horses have never run this far in their career and they will never run this far again. Pedigree is important to consider and Ice Box seems to fit the bill. He also has a good trainer in Nick Zito. Fly Down is also trained by Zito and that horse could also be a factor in Belmont Stakes odds. He ran away from the heavily favored Drosselmeyer in the Dwyer Stakes and seemed to have plenty left.
With a field of 10 horses in the Belmont it will be a smaller field than either the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness. It appears that there are four or five horses that could be in the mix with the other horses considered longshots. It would take something unforeseen for Make Music for Me, Stately Victor, Stay Put, Uptowncharlybrown or Spangled Star to win.