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Belmont Stakes Picks 2022: Predictions and Odds for All Horses in the Lineup
June 9, 2022
The Belmont Stakes typically has the smallest field of the three Triple Crown races.
That is once again the case for Saturday's race with no Triple Crown hunt in play in New York.
After his stunning win at the Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike's trainer and owner opted not to run him in the Preakness Stakes.
Rich Strike could still come away with two legs of the Triple Crown, but his task will be difficult against some of the better three-year-old horses in the country.
Mo Donegal, Creative Minister, We The People and Nest all have morning-line odds under 10-1, just like Rich Strike.
Only three horses in the eight-horse field carry long-shot odds, and they are not likely to replicate Rich Strike's surge to the front from Churchill Downs.
In fact, Rich Strike may not even turn in another run to the front. It is worth remembering this is a horse that was 80-1 to win the Kentucky Derby and only thrived because of the blistering pace set from the start of the race.
The other four horses with low odds may be better options than Rich Strike because the Derby winner has only actually struck rich once in his career.
Belmont Stakes Horses and Odds
1. We The People (2-1)
2. Skippylongstocking (20-1)
3. Nest (8-1)
4. Rich Strike (7-2)
5. Creative Minister (6-1)
6. Mo Donegal (5-2)
7. Golden Glider (20-1)
8. Barber Road (10-1)
Predictions
Rich Strike Struggles To Remain In Front
It can be easy to forget Rich Strike's results prior to his surprising win at the Kentucky Derby.
The horse strung together a collection of third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishes in the five races before he entered Churchill Downs.
The Derby winner produced those finishes at minor stakes races and against one or two horses that were entered in the Derby and Preakness. He was not competing in the major tune-up races with loaded fields.
Rich Strike won the Derby because he benefited from the super fast pace that the race took up. A slower pace would have doomed the Derby long shot from the start.
A slow start to the Belmont could hurt Rich Strike's chances of challenging at the front on Saturday.
The quality of the other favorites in the field could also doom Rich Strike's attempt to win two of the three Triple Crown races.
A case could be made for each of the other four favorites to cross the finish line in first based on their recent form.
We The People and Mo Donegal Compete For The Win
We The People opened as the morning-line favorite once the Belmont Stakes post draw was completed.
We The People turned heads with a win at the Peter Pan Stakes on May 14, a race that took place at Belmont Park.
The race favorite does not have an extensive history of racing. He placed seventh in the Arkansas Derby before his win in May.
The fresh legs and an inside starting position could help We The People get out in front and stay there for most of the race.
Mo Donegal won the Wood Memorial in the buildup to the Kentucky Derby, where he finished fifth.
But he has not raced since Churchill Downs, so that should help his pace throughout the Belmont.
We The People and Mo Donegal may be the best choices among the five horses with lower odds. Rich Strike does not have a great history outside of the Derby, and Creative Minister is running his third race in five weeks.
Nest, a filly trained by Todd Pletcher, is the wild card among the favored horses. She took second behind Secret Oath at the Kentucky Oaks, and history could be behind her. Pletcher owns one of the two victories by fillies at the Belmont with Rags to Riches in 2007.