Sports betting

Belmont Stakes Betting, Online Horse Racing Picks, Horse Bet

by Mike Gratton | May 29 2009

As race fans await final confirmation from horses and trainers to setup the field for the final and most demanding leg of the Triple Crown, online sportsbooks are keeping their cards close to the vest. The sports betting public are in a holding pattern but it's never too soon to start looking for a 'tell'.

All eyes in the world of horse racing are eagerly awaiting the third leg of the U.S. Triple Crown and on Saturday, June 6 at Belmont Park, the 'Stakes' will be high.

To the eye of a casual fan the horse racing season could seem like the shortest of any professional sport. In the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby, television, internet and everything from twitters to newsletters were suddenly flooded with odds and information. Then, following Mine That Bird's stunning 50-to-1 upset, the next thing on everyone's mind was whether or not the colt had a chance to take the second leg at The Preakness.

There was a back-to-back champion in the winner's circle at the Pimlico Race Course but it was the rider—not the horse—pulling the repeat. Now as oddsmakers carefully ponder the numbers for the Belmont Stakes jockey Calvin Borel, Mine That Bird's trainer Chip Woolley and Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra are all in the mix of hot topics for the third and final leg of this year's Triple Crown.

Starting with the Fountain of Youth Stakes in February, the season doesn't actually wrap up until the Breeder's Cup November 6-7 at Santa Anita Park in California. So what is it about the three races from the first Saturday in May to early June that garner so much attention?

Betting on the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes is certainly high—if not at the very top—on the list of reasons why the Triple Crown draws such a large audience. Sports bettors during this time of year are busy tracking and making picks for basketball and hockey playoffs, NASCAR and Major League Baseball, not to mention the 2009 Masters tournament that unofficially sets the North American golf season in motion for thousands of bettors and players alike.

Horse racing requires a different approach, though, and it's that shift in handicapping with the potential for such high payouts that seems to appeal to so many bettors.

Early Belmont Stakes odds will hit the radar screen at online sportsbooks as entrants are confirmed.

- Rachel Alexandra, the sensational filly that became the first since 1924 to win the Preakness, has not yet been confirmed for Belmont. Owner Jesse Jackson said it is the horse's decision. Rachel Alexandra's recovery from the Preakness is ahead of schedule and an announcement from Rachel, er, Jackson is expected early next week.

- Mine That Bird, the last-to-first Derby winner made another strong charge down the stretch at the Preakness but ran out of time. Bettors should note that Mine That Bird is a son of 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone.

- Musket Man, the "Show" horse from both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, is satisfied with strong back-to-back finishes but will no means rest on its laurels as it prepares for Belmont. It will be interesting to see if the longer circuit helps or hampers the three-spot colt in the third leg.

- Calvin Borel, the first-ever Derby winner to switch horses and once again come out on top at Pimlico will certainly be a top choice at the betting window when handicappers make their picks. The racing world anxiously awaits Borel's decisions on what will be his mount of choice. Woolley said Borel can have all the time he needs and Jackson has stated that if Borel is unavailable then Robby Albarado will ride Rachel Alexandra at Belmont.

Check SPORTSBETTING.COM daily for early odds and matchups at the Belmont Stakes.

Author: Mike Gratton placed his first wager on a horse race in the mid-80s. It was a 2-1 horse to show… and it came in fourth. Mike has progressed to be a successful horse racing handicapper and sports betting mind over the years. He loves to impart the knowledge he has garnered over the years in his articles focused on helping others with their sports betting and horse handicapping.