Belmont Stakes 2012 Post Positions: Horses That Got Best Positions

If you were contemplating laying down a bet on Union Rags, Dullahan or Five Sixteen, you should have gotten all the confirmation you needed with their fortuitous post draw. 

The horse on the verge of history, I'll Have Another, is in the 11th position. This isn't a bad spot and it isn't a great spot, and this colt doesn't seem to care anyway. Just throw him out there somewhere, and he'll find a way to put himself into position to make a late charge. 

So his spot is a neutral. Here are three that are not. 

Post No. 3: Union Rags

Union Rags was one of the favorites to win the Kentucky Derby, but he finished a disappointing seventh. 

Rags was coming on strong at the end of that race, though, and he would have had a much better result had he not been caught up in traffic. 

The third spot is a nice position to help him avoid the traffic. It gives him enough room to not get pinched against the rail, and a short path if he just wants to bolt ahead of the pack. 

The third post has also had recent success here. Two of the last 11 winners have come from the third post. 

Post No. 5: Dullahan

Dullahan had the exact same post spot for the Derby and he ended up in third place, but had that race been longer, like the Belmont is, he would have won or at least finished in second.

Dullahan was closing the gap down the stretch as fast as any horse. Now he is in a position to have a little more time to work with, and he is starting from a post he is familiar with.

This spot has also had great success at the Belmont. The fifth post has had four winners since 1981, and the last came in 2008 with Da' Tara. 

Post No. 7: Five Sixteen

Five Sixteen is making his first Triple Crown appearance here, and he's rightfully a long shot. This colt has not done much over his career to suggest he can take down this quality of field.

However, he did get a nice post spot. Since 1996, three winners have started in the seventh post, and two of the last five winners have come from that gate. 

If you want to take a flier on a long shot, you could do worse than Five Sixteen. 

2012 Belmont Stakes Post Positions and Odds

Odds courtesy of Belmont Stakes Twitter feed.

Post positions courtesy Belmont Stakes Twitter feed. 

Post Position	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Morning Line
No. 1	Street Life	C. Brown	J. Lezcano	12-1
No. 2	Unstoppable U	K. McPeek	J. Alvarado	30-1
No. 3	Union Rags	M. Matz	J. Velazquez	6-1
No. 4	Atigun	K. McPeek	J. Leparoux	30-1
No. 5	Dullahan	D. Romans	J. Castellano	5-1
No. 6	Ravelo's Boy	M. Azpurua	A. Solis	50-1
No. 7	Five Sixteen	D. Schettino	R. Napravnik	50-1
No. 8	Guyana Star Dweej	D. Shivmangal	undecided	50-1
No. 9	Paynter	B. Baffert	M. Smith	8-1
No. 10	Optimizer	D. Lukas	C. Nakatani	20-1
No. 11	I'll Have Another	D. O'Neill	M. Gutierrez	4-5
No. 12	My Adonis	K. Breen	R. Dominguez	20-