Belmont Stakes 2012 Post Positions: Which Favorite Was Hurt by Unfavorable Draw?

Post position means everything in a race like the 2012 Belmont Stakes, and there may not be a favorite that feels that statement more than Paynter.

Paynter is currently at 7-2 odds and is now one of the more intriguing names in the race now that I'll Have Another won't be running. Intriguing as the horse may be, it will be a smart option to stay away. His post position is going to cause him some problems.

On paper Paynter looks like a very good choice to win this race. He's finished first twice in his career and second once, and he's going into the Belmont with the same team the exciting Bodemeister had at the Derby and Preakness.

Paynter is being trained by the one and only Bob Baffert and jockeyed by Mike Smith, who nearly captured both the Derby and Preakness on the back of Bodemeister until I'll Have Another tracked him down on the homestretch of both races.

Like Bodemeister, Paynter is expected to get a quick start and be a front runner in this race, but this is where his post position is going to cause him trouble.

The Belmont is the longest track on the Triple Crown circuit, which does not bode well for horses that want to get up front early. It's also a race where being near the inside can really be an advantage, so this is where Paynter's post position really comes into play.

The turns are huge at the Belmont, and Paynter is going to be on the outside of those turns starting at the No. 9 spot. Not only that, but the outside will be even more defined now that I'll Have Another won't be in the No. 11 slot.

With Union Rags, Unstoppable U, Street Life and Dullahan all working from the inside of the pack, Paynter is going to be left trying to pace himself with Optimizer in the No. 10 slot, which may leave him gassed by the time the final turn comes up.

This is not a race that you want to be on the outside of, and when you consider the wide turns plus the length of the track, starting at the No. 9 slot will cause the perfect storm that will lead to a poor showing from Paynter.