The final leg of the triple crown is here, with the 155th Belmont Stakes set to run this Saturday. Although no horse is vying for the elusive triple crown, it is still a race worthy of attention, with top-end horses all looking to grab a piece of history. The race is wide open, with no glaring favorite and several horses looking like the one to potentially beat. This provides a lot of options for betting this year’s Belmont. Let’s dive into a couple horses worth wagers like Tapit Trice and how to organize the betting card.
Make sure to head to OddsShopper YouTube for additional Belmont Stakes info leading up to Saturday’s race.
Best 2023 Belmont Stakes Bets & Predictions
No. 5 Tapit Trice (3-1 Win Odds)
This was the pick to win the Derby, but ultimately he was a non-factor, finishing seventh. The Derby is a tough race to evaluate, with 20-ish horses and all sorts of traffic trouble, so Tapit Trice gets a pass there, and this sets up even better. Todd Pletcher and Luis Saez are the trainer/jockey combo, which is one of the top-end combos in the business.
The best thing about this horse is that he seems perfectly suited for a mile and a half. The Belmont is a unique race in that sense, and running this long is difficult for a lot of horses. Tapit Trice should not only be able to handle this distance, but he is actually better off with the closing power late. This is the main factor in going right back to Tapit Trice in this spot, and he will have more racetrack to navigate this time out.
2023 Belmont Stakes Bet: Tapit Trice to Win, Include in Exotics
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No. 6 Forte (5-2 Win Odds)
Forte was the Kentucky Derby favorite before some bad luck caused him to be scratched basically the day of the race. He is now healthy and ready to go, but the question is, has he progressed since last time out? The Florida Derby earlier this year was impressive, and he beat some big-time horses in that field. However, that was almost three months ago and it is unclear what exactly Forte brings to the table, even with positive workout numbers.
With horse racing and betting in general, it is not always about who you like, but rather about getting the right price. Forte at 5-2 is not overly appealing considering the unknowns surrounding this horse. Maybe he is that good, but a longer distance here and the long layoff suggest looking elsewhere this weekend.
2023 Belmont Stakes Bet: Pass on Forte
No. 8 Angel of Empire (7-2 Win Odds)
Angel of Empire finishes third at the Derby and showed he can compete in any field. Brad Cox training is one of the best and Flavian Prat is aboard, so there are no issues there. There really is not a lot to say about this horse other than he is constantly in the mix, even when he does not win. It makes sense to include in exotics like exactas or trifectas, and he really could be the best of the bunch. The price isn’t bad either, so there is not much bad to say about this spot.
2023 Belmont Stakes Bet: Nos. 2, 7 & 8 Exacta Box
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No. 7 Hit Show (10-1 Win Odds)
There are only nine horses in this race, but it is always good to find longer shots to include in exotics. Hit Show is that horse, as he finished fifth at the Derby and impressed with his ability to hang late in that race. He is another Brad Cox-trained horse who could be sitting closer to the front, unlike some of the other horses here. This is the type of horse who can really pump up the payouts if he hits the board, and with the right trip, that could certainly happen.
