Belmont Stakes 2016 Post Positions: Complete Listing for Every Horse
The 2016 Belmont Stakes lost some of its luster when Exaggerator defeated Nyquist at the Preakness Stakes, which makes Exaggerator the horse to beat in New York on Saturday.
Exaggerator is looking to continue his hot streak in the final Triple Crown event of the year after winning two of his last three races. Nyquist has bowed out of the running, opening up the race for the 1 ½-mile test of champions.
Wednesday was the beginning of the Belmont hype machine with the post positions being drawn. Here's how the field of 13 horses will line up this weekend:
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| Saturday, June 11 | 5 p.m. | 6:35 p.m. | NBC |
Not surprisingly, Exaggerator is a heavy favorite to win the Belmont Stakes. He overcame the unfavorable weather conditions at Pimlico Race Course three weeks ago; it was his second win in three races going back to the Santa Anita Derby.
However, there does seem to be some disparity between the oddsmakers and analysts about the line Exaggerator should be getting this week, per Mike Watchmaker of Daily Racing Form:
| 1 | Governor Malibu | 12-1 |
| 2 | Destin | 10-1 |
| 3 | Cherry Wine | 15-2 |
| 4 | Suddenbreakingnews | 13-2 |
| 5 | Stradivari | 15-2 |
| 6 | Gettysburg | 30-1 |
| 7 | Seeking The Soul | 30-1 |
| 8 | Forever d'Oro | 30-1 |
| 9 | Trojan Nation | 30-1 |
| 10 | Lani | 12-1 |
| 11 | Exaggerator | 11-10 |
| 12 | Brody's Cause | 12-1 |
| 13 | Creator | 20-1 |
Finding reasons to bet against Exaggerator are difficult. He's not going against a great field, and the only horse he has lost to since April was Nyquist at the Kentucky Derby, where Exaggerator finished second.
The Belmont Stakes is also a different kind of race in the Triple Crown season. It's called the test of champions because of the endurance and stamina it takes to run 12 furlongs. The race is even more difficult for a horse like Exaggerator, who has had just three weeks of rest after the Preakness Stakes.
Destin has the talent to play spoiler Saturday. His overall track record doesn't immediately jump out with just three wins in six career starts, including a sixth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby.
Yet when you look at the team around Destin, he's set up well for an excellent run. Kevin Martin of CBS New York broke down the key ingredient that will carry Destin at the Belmont Stakes:
"His trainer Todd Pletcher has had more luck in the Belmont than the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He has one Derby win and no Preakness wins but has two winners in the Belmont since 2007. Destin will also have the services of jockey Javier Castellano who is a regular rider at Belmont Park and understands how to navigate the track’s unique layout.
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Pletcher's last win at Elmont was in 2013 with Palace Malice, who had just finished 12th at the Kentucky Derby and skipped the Preakness.
The parallels between Destin and Palace Malice aren't 100 percent, but this is the best race for him to win since his triumph at the Tampa Bay Derby in March.
Ultimately, though, all eyes are on Exaggerator. He's the one who has been on a steady rise, even as the runner-up at Churchill Downs, and this is his chance to prove he's the best three-year-old horse in the world.
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