Is It Worth Betting on the Belmont Stakes?
There Won’t Be a Triple Crown Winner in 2023
Betting on the Belmont Stakes is just around the corner, but with the Triple Crown going to the wayside, is it worth wagering?
The excitement of the Triple Crown is getting less and less every year, but probably even more so in 2023.
Mage won the Kentucky Derby but failed to make an impression in the Preakness Stakes.
Of the three races of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes usually attracts a different-looking field, so it could be worth a wager.
Early Derby Favorites Back in Action
Forte and Tapit Trice were all the rage in early Kentucky Derby betting markets, but Forte was scratched and Tapit Trice was a huge drifter on race day.
Forte failed a drug test in September and authorities waited till the very last minute to scratch him. However, he could be ready to produce the goods in the Belmont Stakes, which makes betting on the Belmont Stakes worthwhile.
The 3-year-old colt by Violence easily had the best form prior to the Derby, after winning the likes of the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth.
He was far too good for Mage in the Florida Derby, and that form was franked with Mage winning the Derby, so unless he’s not fully fit, there won’t be any excuses for the current 3-1 favorite.
It would have been great to see him line up in the first two races. Triple Crown odds have him picked as the only horse capable of achieving the feat, so there are high expectations for the Belmont Stakes favorite.
A mile and a half is a challenge and it’s going to be 10 weeks between races,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Sometimes the pace of the Belmont is going to be less taxing than certainly the pace was in the Derby. If they set fractions as they did in the Preakness, I think that makes it a lot easier.”
Stablemate Tapit Trice also looked good during workouts.
“It looked super. I’m really pleased with the way he went. He was well in hand throughout and galloped out nicely,” Pletcher said. “We were playing it by ear with the weather, but the training track dried out nicely.”
Angel of Empire Shortening
When betting on the Belmont Stakes, we wouldn’t leave out Angel of Empire.
The Brad Cox-trained colt shortened into favoritism for the Derby before finishing third behind Mage and Two Phil’s, so it was a tidy effort.
He has attracted interest again for the Belmont Stakes, and based on that run, and also missing the Preakness Stakes, we see no reason to leave him out.
His form prior included wins in the Arkansas Derby and Risen Star, so he’s another runner with excellent age-group form.
Bookmakers have Angel of Empire at 4-1 with two weeks left until the race is run. We expect to see those odds shorten before the start time.
The Last Two Legs
National Treasure could win the last two legs of the Triple Crown, especially if he gets an easy time of it in front.
The Bob Baffert-trained runner got away with murder in front in the Preakness Stakes, and we expect more pace to be injected into the race at Belmont.
However, it was still a good fighting victory, so take nothing away from the colt who wasn’t allowed to run in the Derby due to Baffert’s Churchill Downs barn.
Betting on the Belmont Stakes could be worth it if National Treasure runs. He would be the only winner of a Triple Crown race in the field, with Mage going to the Travers.
The sportsbook has him on the fourth line of betting at 6-1.
If you want to learn more about Horse Racing betting news, the triple crown winners, stats and odds visit pointspreads.com
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