Belmont Stakes Betting

(Monday, May 28) For the third year in a row, we will head to New York for the Belmont Stakes without a Triple Crown in the balance.

The best we can hope for now is that trainer Carl Nafzger decides to send Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense to the Belmont Stakes for a rematch with Preakness Stakes winner Curlin, who snatched victory away from his colt in the final strides at Pimlico.

With just under two weeks to go until the Belmont Stakes, there are just five definite for the race with another six three year olds sitting on the fence. The five definite are: Curlin, Hard Spun, Slew’s Tizzy, Tiago, and Imawildandcrazyguy.

On the fence are Rags to Riches, Sightseeing, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Chelokee, Cristobal, and Street Sense.

Therefore, we could see a rematch of the top three finishers in both the Derby and Preakness with some added intrigue with the talented filly Rags to Riches added to the mix. Or we could see a short field of six horses battle it out in New York.

Regardless, horseplayers will have a 13 race card on tap on Belmont Stakes Day, including a $1 million guaranteed Pick 4 and a $1 million guaranteed Pick 6.

In addition to the Belmont Stakes, there are five other graded stakes on the card:

Race 6 (3:08 p.m.) – Grade 2, $200,000 True North Handicap, 3 and up, Six Furlongs.

Race 7 (3:46 p.m.) – Grade 2, $300,000, Just A Game, fillies and mares, 3 and up, One Mile, Turf.

Race 8 (4:25 p.m.) – Grade 2 $200,000 Woody Stephens, 3-year-olds, Seven Furlongs.

Race 9 (5:04 p.m.)– Grade 1, $250,000 Acorn, 3-year-old Fillies, One Mile.

Race 10 (5:44 p.m.) – Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan Handicap, 3 and up, One Mile and One Quarter, Turf. However, the Belmont Stakes is the marquee event and hopefully we will see a large field. Here is a breakdown of the possible starters:

Curlin: The Preakness winner is a definite for the Belmont. The colt earned a 111 Beyer in his Preakness win, a career best. I’m sure trainer Steve Asmussen would prefer Nafzger decides to sit Street Sense out and point the Derby winner to the Haskell and Travers.

Hard Spun: The runner up in the Kentucky Derby and third place finisher in the Preakness gets a jock switch to Garret Gomez. Mario Pino was criticized for moving too soon in the Preakness.

Rags to Riches: Trainer Todd Pletcher said his filly would likely run if Street Sense or Hard Spun opts out. The Kentucky Oaks winner is bred to run all day and she may give the boys all they can handle in the Belmont if she shows up. Pletcher is 0 for 28 in Triple Crown races.

Tiago: Giacomo’s little brother skipped the Preakness after finishing seventh in the Derby. His career best came winning the Santa Anita Derby, earning a 100 Beyer in that win. The colt is going to need a career best effort to land in the money in the Belmont.

Imawildandcrazyguy: This gelding has just a maiden win and an Alw-1 win on his resume, but ran a career best (97 Beyer) in his late closing fourth in the Derby at 29/1.

Slew’s Tizzy: After winning the Lexington Stakes trainer Gregory Fox elected to skip the Derby and Preakness and shipped his colt to Texas to win the Lone Star Derby on May 12. His career best Beyer is a 96, earned in his last win and this colt has not been beyond 1 1/16 miles in his career.

Sightseeing: Trainer Shug McGaughey said his colt is not likely to run in the Belmont. The colt followed up his good second in the Wood Memorial with a solid win in the Peter Pan Stakes. The colt is one of only two of the possible that has a win over the surface.

Nobiz Like Shobiz: The Barclay Tagg trainee is the other runner with a win over the main track at Belmont, breaking his maiden over the surface in his debut. The colt also ran second in the Champagne Stakes in his first start against winners over the main track. The colt was a real disappointment in the Derby, finishing a non-threatening tenth.

Chelokee: This colt skipped the Preakness and won the Barbaro Stakes on the Preakness Day undercard for Barbaro trainer Michael Matz. The colt had a troubled trip in the Florida Derby in his previous start and has the look of a colt that has not shown his best yet. Matz seems to be leaning toward not running his colt in the Belmont, but if he does, his colt will be a factor.

Cristobal: The French import has just two starts in his career, a maiden win in his debut and a third place finish in Allowance Company at Longchamp in his last start.

Street Sense: The Derby winner and Preakness runner up is on the fence. It seems likely Nafzger will find a reason to excuse his colt from the Belmont and point toward equally rich stakes later this summer like the Haskell and Travers.

Keep checking the Locker Room all through the Triple Crown Wagering season, as we will cover Belmont Stakes Betting, the trainers, horses and jockeys in each race. You can get your early Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park bets in now in the BetUS online Racebook in the Future / props section, under Horse Futures: 2007 Belmont Stakes.

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