Essential Quality (+200 Bovada), who was crowned the ‘American Champion Two-Year-Old of 2020′ after winning the Breeders’ Futurity and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, took the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes earlier this season before finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

One of a handful of horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby, then bypassed the Preakness and now heads straight to the Belmont Stakes (the others being Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie (+350 Bovada) Essential Quality is likely to start as big race favorite with the online racebooks.

The Preakness was won by 118/10 long-shot Rombauer (+300 Bovada) but his rider there, Flavien Prat, has elected to ride Derby third Hot Rod Charlie (+350 Bovada) meaning John Velazquez takes over in the saddle. That’s not a huge endorsement and it is 20 years since a non Triple Crown winner won the Preakness and then the Belmont.

There’s no doubt any leg of the Triple Crown draws it out of a horse and so it could pay to look elsewhere.

For more information the Belmont Stakes, race history and facts look here.


Belmont Stakes Odds

Here are the latest Belmont Stakes betting odds from the Bovada Sportsbook

  • Essential Quality +200
  • Rombauer +300
  • Hot Rod Charlie +350
  • Rock Your World+450
  • Known Agenda +600
  • Bourbonic +1500
  • Overtook +1500
  • France Go De Ina +3000

Belmont Stakes Draw

  • Gate 1 – Bourbonic
  • Gate 2 – Essential Quality
  • Gate 3 – Rombauer
  • Gate 4 – Hot Rod Charlie
  • Gate 5 – France Go de Ina
  • Gate 6 – Known Agenda
  • Gate 7 – Rock Your World
  • Gate 8 – Overtook

Notable Absentees

Rebel’s Romance trained in the UK but last seen two months ago when winning the UAE Derby in Dubai would have been a fascinating contender. It may have been over 30 years ago now (Go and Go in 1990), but this race remains the only race in the Triple Crown won by a European challenger. Connections had to withdraw the horse from the Belmont due to a hind leg infection.

Get Her Number was a disappointing fourth in the Arkansas Derby when last in action but looked fantastic when taking the 2020 Grade 1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita, is lightly raced and relatively fresh. However trainer Peter Miller has decided to skip the Belmont and has entered him in the 300k Texas Derby.

Promise Keeper who was well fancied for the place and show markets. Running too badly to be true in the Tampa Bay Derby where he went off at +400, the Todd Pletcher trained horse bounced back with a comprehensive victory in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont in early April. However Pletcher has since diverted Promise Keeper to run in the Ohio Derby instead.

Good luck whichever way you decide to bet.

Darren Moore
Writer

Darren lives & breathes sports betting and is always sniffing out his next value bet. His favourite sports to bet on are the NFL, horse racing and UFC but he will bet on anything if he thinks the odds are favourable.