The 155th running of the Belmont Stakes, the third and final leg of the Triple Crown, is set for Saturday at Belmont Park.
Some people may think that without the Triple Crown title at stake this year, there will be no big storylines and the Belmont will be diminished. They couldn’t be more wrong. Belmont Day is full of Grade 1 Stakes races featuring the country’s top horses. No Triple Crown? So what, I say.
The greatest live race I ever saw was the 2007 Belmont Stakes. In that race, we had the great Curlin, coming off his Preakness victory and soon to be named Horse of the Year. He was pitted against the filly champion, Rags to Riches. Unusual. Remember that no filly had won the Belmont in over a century.
At the top of the long Belmont stretch, it became a match race. The two of them battled together neck-and-neck as it seemed like forever. Rags fought to maintain a slight lead, but near the end, she lost the lead and the crowd thought it was over. It was not. Rags fought back one final time and near the wire, surged ahead and won by 12 inches. Twelve inches in a 1 ½ mile race. The grandstand crowd was hoarse, stunned, thrilled, and exhausted.
We knew we had witnessed something special. That’s Belmont.
Belmont Stakes: The particular ‘ Analyze of Champions’
The race is 1 3/8 miles. It’s long. So long that none of the horses have ever run that distance before. That’s why many call the Belmont Stakes the “Test of Champions.” And often, it is referred to as the “Graveyard of Champions.”
Over time, more than thirty horses who were victorious in the first two legs – the Kentucky Derby and Preakness – have come up short in the Belmont.
My family and I have attended many Belmont Stakes, starting back in the 1970s. My father, a successful appliance businessman, received a race invitation from the head of the marketing agency that handled his account. It was not just an invitation to the race, but also to the swanky Belmont Jockey Club.
Now, my father, from the South End of Boston, who could not tell a bridle from a horseshoe, and with his store-bought reading glasses, he was hopeless with the program’s fine print. Even if he could read the program, it would never do him any good.
But the old man knew how to fake it. With a cigar in one hand and a drink in the other, he would send his kids off to place bets on his behalf. The King of Siam had nothing on him. Of course, my father never won. He never won. Or at least, until he listened to my mom and played birthday trifecta numbers – and that brought him back.
Previewing the particular 2023 Belmont Stakes industry
We have a strong group of Belmont Stakes contenders this year. Many good, talented, and competitive horses. Tough guys. No Mage, but that’s OK, he earned a break.
No Arabian Knight either, the former top-ranked 3-year-old. No one knows what happened to Knight. Trainer Bob Baffert put him somewhere and he has not been heard of since. I just hope Bobby-Bob hasn’t completely forgotten about the horse.
In no particular order, here is the current field. Please note that this year’s fields have been fluid with lots of late additions and late scratches. The odds listed are only estimates. The Belmont draw is on Thursday, June 6. That’s when the official NY horse betting begins.
National Prize (8-1)
Person, did Medina Spirit have a cakewalk in the Preakness. Got out front early and set his own pace (slow). And nobody stepped up to challenge him. This didn’t help the closers if there were any, which left Medina Spirit with plenty in the tank for the finish.
But Saturday is 12 furlongs. With stronger competition. No walks in the park on June 12. Convicted drug cheater, Baffert, is the trainer for Medina Spirit. Good guy Johnny V. will be piloting.
Trainer/jockey: Bob Baffert/John Velazquez
Last race: Won Preakness (G1)
Arcangelo (20-1)
We have a lady trainer for this pony; her name is Jena Antonucci, who trained up Arcangelo to win the Peter Pan with a solid 97 Beyer at Belmont last month. I often like horses with past track wins; they are assumed to be more familiar and therefore more comfortable with the surroundings.
In the Peter Pan, Arcangelo’s last five furlongs were an impressive 38.18 seconds. This indicates he may like distance. The jockey, Castellano, is the recent Preakness winner and apparently fell onto his feet. He lost the idle Mage but found this respectable colt. Might surprise people.
Trainer/jockey: Jena Antonucci/Javier Castellano
Previous race: Won Peter Pan (G3) at Belmont Park
Crimson Route You (30-1)
Crimson Route One gave me a short-lived excitement in the stretch at Pimlico – albeit a very unsuccessful one. My main pick, Perform, had evidently failed to run hard on Preakness Day. So that left me with only a four-horse (No Mage) trifecta box, and at mid-stretch, I was looking good.
Crimson Route One, a closer, was making a move to catch Mage for third place, and my heart jumped at the thought of a lucrative and winning trifecta. But no, Red Route One flattened out, and Mage picked up. Foiled. While a longshot for Belmont, I am staying away from Route One. I learned once again that the horse is not very quick, and even with his recent win at OP in the Bath House, he doesn’t seem like a 12f horse.
Trainer/jockey: Steve Asmussen/Joel Rosario
Previous race: 2nd in Preakness (G1)
Angel involving Empire (4-1)
I am a Brad Cox guy. I have been for a while. The great trainer as St. Nick P. Zito quietly faded away. I’ve ridden Angel of Disposition this entire prep season. It’s been a fantastic and profitable journey with his impressive wins in the Risen Star and Illinois Derby. He was third in the Derby, but only a length or so behind the winner, and Angel still earned a 95 Beyer. (Mage was a bit better that day.)
Cox said a month ago that he was pointing Angel towards the 10 at Belmont. He feels he will like the distance. No reason not to believe him.
Trainer/jockey: Brad Cox/Flavien Prat
Previous race: 3rd in Kentucky Derby (G1)
Elle Miracola (70-1)
It took Elle Miracola several tries to break his maiden. This colt has raced nine times in his young career and has only won twice. The speed figures are modest, but the connections keep entering him in races.
“Maybe the extra distance will help,” the connections must be thinking. I think these guys are searching for a “miracle,” but the shrine in Fatima is a long way away.
Trainer/jockey: Antonio Sano/Marcos Meneses
Previous race: Won allowance optional claiming race (Gulfstream Park, May 11)
Boost Cain (A lot)
Bourbon War acquired Gotham previous March inside the slop, and that was his claim to celebrity other than his maiden win. I actually don’t see it, even as a big underdog.
Trainer/jockey: Ben Colebrook/Junior Alvarado
Previous race: 9th in Kentucky Derby
Forte (5-2)
Forte is the current top-ranked 3-year-old and the favorite in this race. He was a late vet-scratch on the day of the Kentucky Derby. He limped with a possibly tender hoof, at least according to the doctor. The Churchill officials were understandably cautious that Derby week and would have vet-scratched any colt if they even sneezed.
Todd Pletcher, the trainer, is top-notch and has frequently employed jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. for the big races. For a good reason. Pletcher knows Irad hates to lose.
The issue with Irad is that he can be aggressive. Often suspended, he has acquired a racing style similar to the Charlie Boyd character in the Ben-Hur chariot races. Ominously for “Big Bear,” there is a rule change in the sport to limit the number of days the jockey can strike his horses with the whip. (No more than six times after the first furlong.) Irad won’t like that.
Trainer/jockey: Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz Jr.
Last race: 1st in Florida Derby (G1)
Hit Present (15-1)
Another Cox-trained horse, Known Agenda, surprised us in the Derby by finishing fifth. He stayed well with the second-tier pack throughout despite the fast pace. His pedigree suggests he has stamina. He also has tactical speed. If he offers a good price, I’ve seen worse longshot bets. I like him.
Trainer/jockey: Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz Jr.
Previous race: 9th in Kentucky Derby (G1)
Tapit Trice (3-1)
Tapit Trice had several consecutive wins going into Louisville, including two graded stakes. Trice was running well in the Derby, mid-pack, not chasing the lead, but then didn’t make any move. It happens, these colts are only three years old. The sire, Tapit, has been a huge success and one of the most successful fathers since Xerxes of Persia.
Tapit has already sired four Belmont Stakes winners. That means Trice will garner some respect based on his pedigree. Any horse can have a bad race, even Secretariat. But I am not buying it. Won’t discount a horse who finished 7th at Churchill.
Trainer/jockey: Todd Pletcher/Luis Saez
Previous race: 7th in Kentucky Derby (G1)
Potential addition: Tapit Shoes (50-1)
Not sure why Cox is considering him. Tapit Shoes has achieved and raced little so far. Cox might have been impressed with Shoes’ gallant but losing recent effort at Oaklawn Park. Or maybe the owner or owners just want to be invited to Belmont cocktail parties. You never know with these things.
Trainer/jockey: Brad Cox/Jose Ortiz
Previous race: 2nd in Bath House Line Stakes (Oaklawn Park, April 22)
What to find out about vig and even parimutuel costly in BIG APPLE horse bets
Now let me tell you something that perhaps faithful horse racing lovers don’t know or haven’t bothered to familiarize themselves with. Below, you will find the track vigs for NYRA Aqueduct Speedway. This is the amount that the host track and national parimutuel pool deduct from payoffs for winning wagers. Other tracks and simulcasts likely have similar percentages. These organizations don’t work for nothing.
Win-Place-Show bets: 16%
Exacta and Daily Double: 18%
Trifectas and Superfectas: 24%
Pick 5 or 6: 24%
You can understand why many prefer the more straightforward win and show bets. With a fair 16% vig and a decent attempt at handicapping, one can consistently win. Have you compared the vig to that of state lottery games and Keno? It’s laughable.
Another thing, no matter where you place your horse bets, whether in person or online through platforms like FanDuel Racing, make sure you are getting track odds or payouts. That would mean your wagering operator is participating in the national parimutuel pool. If not, it means your vendor is booking horse bets in-house.
That can mean they have restrictions on their payouts, which may be outlined in their terms and conditions. Be sure to ask and ensure that your wagering is done within the parimutuel pool and the house is not simply setting their own inflated odds to the disadvantage of their valued horse betting clients.
With one exception, please, off-track betting, the few that are still remaining. New York OTBs take another small cut. But that’s alright, we can live with it. Most OTB locations give back by providing a racing atmosphere, affordable burgers, and Friday Happy Hours.
Soundtrack for 2023 Belmont Levels: Empire Mind-set
One last thing, Belmont has had three pre-race official songs over the years. “Sidewalks of New York,” Sinatra’s NY theme, and more recently, “Empire State of Mind,” which I like the best. Uncertain what song will be played this coming week. But the songs sure beat “My Old Kentucky Home” and “Maryland, My Maryland.”
Point in fact, they don’t play “Maryland, My Maryland” at the Preakness anymore. It seems that despite a poem and song dating back to the Civil War in 1861, it appears that nobody had bothered to read all the lyrics and verses. You know, that final verse, the stanza that one could argue now helped inspire Baltimore native John Wilkes Booth to assassinate Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre.
“Sic semper tyrannis,” anyone? I prefer “Empire State of Mind.”
