The oldest and longest of the Triple Crown races will take place this weekend at the 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes. The one and a half mile race, also known as the ‘test of champions’, will take place at Belmont Park for the 110th time in the race’s illustrious history.
Take a look at our Best Bets and Best Longshots for the 2021 Belmont Stakes.
Best Bet To Win The 2021 Belmont Stakes
#2 Essential Quality (+200)
After drawing the second barrier for Saturday’s race, the nation’s top horse, Essential Quality, will be your +??? favorite to win the 2021 running of the Belmont Stakes. Essential Quality was favored to win last month’s Kentucky Derby, however the three year old colt suffered the first loss of his career after finishing fourth in the Group 1 race at Churchill Downs. Prior to the Kentucky Derby, Essential Quality had previously been undefeated in five starts and was named last year’s champion 2-year-old male.
From @ChurchillDowns ✈️ to the @BelmontStakes 🤩@BreedersCup Juvenile winner, ESSENTIAL QUALITY departs for Belmont Park as he looks to return to winning ways 💪
📸 @CoadyPhoto pic.twitter.com/oRMRhBwHCg
— World Horse Racing (@WHR) June 2, 2021
The Brad Cox trained three year old is the only son of Tapit in Saturday’s field, making him a bona fide contender. Since 2013, 10 Tapit colts have run in the Belmont Stakes, three have won and four others finished no worse than third. Despite the disappointing run at Churchill Downs, Cox believes that Essential Quality has a “tremendous amount of stamina” and has continued to improve and get stronger, insinuating that the one and a half mile ride will not trouble the two time Grade I winner.
In the mix: #4 Hot Rod Charlie (+350)
Best Longshot To Win The 2021 Belmont Stake
#1 Bourbonic (+1500)
Since the introduction of post positions in 1904, the horse that has drawn the first barrier has won the Belmont Stakes on 24 occasions. The next successful posts have been post three and post five with 15 wins each respectively. Bourbonic will start in post one at Belmont Park on Saturday. Although the three year old colt underwhelmed at the 2021 Kentucky Derby, finishing 13th, Bourbonic showed what he is capable of at the Grade II Wood Memorial Stakes in April, bolting from last to first to win the race at 72-1 odds. Kendrick Carmouche rode Bourbonic that day and he will once again saddle up on the Todd Pletcher trained horse on Saturday.
Bourbonic’s 70-1 victory in the G2 Wood Memorial Stakes is our @SentientJet “Perfect Trip” of the Weekend! Take a look back at the final stretch & payouts! pic.twitter.com/GD50F9t8lb
— TVG (@TVG) April 5, 2021
Prior to last month’s Kentucky Derby, Pletcher stated that “Bourbonic doesn’t have any early speed. We always knew this horse would handle added distance”. Starting in a barrier that has produced winners and possessing the ability to make up ground late in the race (as was evident at last month’s Wood Memorial Stakes), Bourbonic has to be considered in the one and a half mile race at Belmont Park this weekend.
In the mix: #6 Known Agenda (+600)
2021 Belmont Stake Field:
#1 Bourbonic
#2 Essential Quality
#3 Rombauer
#4 Hot Rod Charlie
#5 France Go de Ina
#6 Known Agenda
#7 Rock Your World
#8 Overtook
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
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Image By: Mike Lizzi
