Irad Ortiz and Mo Donegal Come Perfectly Primed for Belmont

Irad Ortiz and Mo Donegal Come Perfectly Primed for Belmont

Category : News - Fri 10/06/2022 - 03:38 EDT

The Triple Crown comes to a close on Saturday, June 11 with the Belmont Stakes! Covering one full circuit of the sweeping 1 ½-mile course at Belmont Park, the race drew a field of eight three-year-olds who are ready to claim a big payday, the iconic blanket of carnations, and a place in Triple Crown history!

The 2022 Belmont Stakes drew a field of eight, including 80-1 Kentucky Derby shocker Rich Strike, who will try to prove that his win in Louisville was no fluke. Though Preakness winner Early Voting is not going on to the Belmont, he will face top-notch opposition like Mo Donegal, Nest, Creative Minister, and the improving We the People.

Who will win the final jewel of the Triple Crown? Read on to find out, and to find out the best places for off-track betting in Florida!

Betting the 2022 Belmont Stakes Online

Few things are more thrilling than a trip to Belmont Park for the Test of the Champion, but not all of us can make it there. The good news is, that you have great online horse betting options in Florida, like BetOnline, meaning you can play the Test of the Champion from your smartphone, tablet, or computer wherever there is an internet connection!

All of our recommended online racebooks have a trustworthy deposit and cash-out options, great user interfaces, and market-leading odds. They also offer a range of incentives like sign-up and deposit bonuses, rebates, and referral benefits. Our expert reviews can help you choose the site with the best bonuses for your wagering style, so you can maximize your profits!

These are the top online racebooks for Florida players:

Handicapping the 2022 Belmont Stakes

Now that you have your betting account set up at the online racebook that gives you the best bonuses for your betting style, it is time for the fun part. It is time to get to know the odds, get to know the contenders, and pick the winner of the Belmont Stakes!

2022 Belmont Stakes Horses

This is the official field for the 2022 Belmont Stakes, including draw numbers, trainers, jockeys, and morning lines:

  1. We the People (Rodolphe Brisset/Flavien Prat) - 2/1

  2. Skippylongstocking (Saffie Joseph, Jr./Manuel Franco) - 20/1

  3. Nest (Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz) - 8/1

  4. Rich Strike (Eric Reed/Sonny Leon) - 7/2

  5. Creative Minister (Ken McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.) - 6/1

  6. Mo Donegal (Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 5/2

  7. Golden Glider (Mark Casse/Dyland Davis) - 20/1

  8. Barber Road (John Ortiz/Joel Rosario) - 10/1

Note that these morning line odds are just the track’s best guess about the odds on Belmont day. You are not guaranteed to get those odds, and they can change until post-time.

Fortunately, if you are betting the race online, you can lock in the best odds on your horse at the moment you bet! Track the odds at your online sportsbook of choice, and when you see an overlay, go ahead and make your bet!

2022 Belmont Stakes Favorites

Though the Kentucky Derby winner is often the favorite in the Belmont, that will not be the case this year. However, Rich Strike will still be one of the shorter-priced horses after his win in Louisville. That makes him an underlay, especially because he got a swift pace to close into in the Derby, but the Belmont pace will not be fast. Relegate Rich Strike to lower rungs of exotics.

The likely favorite in the Belmont is We the People. This Peter Pan (G3) winner has the pace edge, as he is the only horse in the field who likes to go to the early lead. However, he still has class to prove against the best of his class, and his close dam-side relatives are more sprinter-miler types, raising questions about how much he will want the last furlong.

Mo Donegal looks like the total package and is the best bet in the Belmont Stakes. He is well bred for the stretch out in trip, already a winner at Belmont Park, and trained by three-time Belmont winner Todd Pletcher. Especially if strong local rider Irad Ortiz can revert Mo Donegal back to the more forward style he used a few races back, he could get a jump on the real closers and outstay We the People late.

Nest also hails from the Pletcher shedrow and has some room for improvement in the Belmont. She has an excellent distance pedigree, and like her stablemate, she also has some back races where she was not far from the early running. If she bounces back from her Kentucky Oaks defeat and thrives with the extra distance, she could win the Belmont at a price or come very close.

2022 Belmont Stakes Longshot

One-time claimer Barber Road still seeks his first-ever stakes victory, but he keeps showing up with strong tries against stakes horses. Though he rallied from last to run sixth in the Kentucky Derby last out, that was a function of the extremely fast pace on Derby Day. He has run well several times from closer to a slower pace, meaning he should be able to get his usual underneath share.

2022 Belmont Stakes Free Picks

You have set up your betting account and gotten to know the field. Now it is time for the most fun part: playing the race and cashing in! These are the best bets for Saturday’s 2022 Belmont Stakes:

  • $20 to win - #6 Mo Donegal

  • $1 exacta key - #6 Mo Donegal with #1 We the People, #3 Nest

  • $1 trifecta key - #6 Mo Donegal with #1 We the People, #3 Nest, #8 Barber Road

  • 20 cent superfecta key - #6 Mo Donegal with #1 We the People, #3 Nest, #4 Rich Strike, #8 Barber Road

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