The ultimate stage is set for Saturday and the 150th running of the Belmont Stakes

Belmont Stakes Odds: Justify Still Favored Over the Field

Right now, it doesn’t seem very suspenseful either who will win the Stanley Cup or the NBA Championship.  The only big question remains: Will Justify complete horse racing’s Triple Crown this Saturday? He remains the 4/5 program favorite at press time to win the ceremonial 150th running of the 2018 Belmont Stakes; Hofburg is holding steady at 4/1, while Bravazo has improved from 8/1 to 7/1. Post time at Belmont Park is firmly scheduled for 6:37 PM ET, with NBC providing extended coverage beginning at 4:00 PM.

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After winning both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in wet conditions, it looks like Justify will get his day in the sun on a very fast track. The rain at Belmont Park is expected to end sometime after Tuesday’s post-position draw (5:30 PM ET) and remain relatively dry for a few weeks. Justify has been working out brilliantly at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Belmont.  Under watchful eye of super trainer Bob Baffert and a team of security, he’s scheduled to leave for New York on Wednesday morning.

Completing the Belmont Stakes field are Vino Rosso (9/1), Tenfold (10/1), Blended Citizen (12/1), Gronkowski (25/1), Noble Indy (33/1) and Free Drop Billy (50/1). It is anticipated that Restoring Hope and Seahenge are also expected to be included in the field when the final draw is made on Tuesday. Restoring Hope and Justify are both trained by Baffert, who also led American Pharoah to Triple Crown glory in 2015.

Get ready for hours of handicapping “experts” providing reasons why and why not Justify will win the Belmont and the Triple Crown.  At the top of the list will be the obvious reasons including pedigree doubts and his questionable ability to run the challenging mile and a half distance.  It remains the one and only time 3-year horses run this long distance during the entire year and thus has been known for a century and a half as “the test of champions”.  Also proof why only twelve horses have previously accomplished this amazing feat.

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But, the first knock on the list will be the track condition naysayers. Those who may think Justify preferred the wet surface he received at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby and at Pimlico in the Preakness.  Adding in that he won the Preakness two weeks ago by a diminishing half length.

From a handicapping and wagering aspect, that may be to a slight advantage for those who want to bet on Justify.  Not that they will see anything more than likely odds-on at post time, but helping those payoffs in the exotics (exactas, trifectas, superfectas). 

The best bet is that “justifiably” the sports world spotlight this Saturday will be solely on Belmont Park.

Glenn Greene covers the games from a betting angle every week exclusively at OSGA.com. For weekly betting insights, inlcuding previews and picks from Glenn, click here.