Belmont Stakes 2013: Bold Predictions for Final Leg of Triple Crown

The 2013 Belmont Steaks is bound to be full of surprises.

The Kentucky Derby was won by one of the favorites, but the Preakness victor certainly wasn't considered a contender before the race started. Several other horses that were thought to be in good shape going into both races struggled when the doors sprung open.

So what should we expect to see this year at the Belmont Stakes? Will Orb or Oxbow win their second Triple Crown race this year? Will a non-contender break through and win the entire thing? Which owner and jockey will be successful?

Only one horse will win the final leg of the Triple Crown on June 8, but several unlikely things will certainly come into play. Let’s take a look at what’s going to happen at the 145th running of the Belmont Stakes.

*All odds and betting info via Mike Watchmaker of the Daily Racing Form as of 1 p.m. ET, June 2.

Unlimited Budget Wins It All

One of the biggest storylines this year surrounds the lone filly in the race, Unlimited Budget. There have only been three fillies in the history of the Belmont Stakes to come out on top, the last being Rags to Riches back in 2007.

But that wouldn't be the only history made if Unlimited Budget were to win the third leg of the Triple Crown. Rosie Napravnik will be the jockey attempting to get Unlimited Budget across the finish line before any other opponent, and she would be the second female jockey to ever win.

Unlimited Budget and Napravnik currently have 10-1 odds to win at the Belmont States, which are tied for the fifth best, according Watchmaker. As trainer Todd Pletcher told Steve Haskin of ESPN:

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If you look at Unlimited Budget’s speed figures, they match up against these colts. The key is getting the mile and half. She’s won at the mile and a sixteenth twice this year and won going a mile and an eighth as a 2-year-old, so that’s encouraging and suggest she can compete in here.

"

Napravnik has been very successful this year already. She finished fifth at the Kentucky Derby and third at the Preakness with Mylute, who won’t be racing next Saturday. Napravnik has yet to win it all this year in a Triple Crown race, but will finally do so at the Belmont Stakes, riding Unlimited Budget to victory.

Orb and Oxbow Both Struggle

There won’t be a Triple Crown winner this year and it seems unlikely that Kentucky Derby champion Orb or Preakness winner Oxbow will win their second of three legs in 2013. Both are heavily favored, with Watchmaker giving Orb 3-1 odds and Oxbow 6-1 odds.

While Orb and Oxbow have each shown what they’re capable of, they’re the horses with the targets on their backs this time around. All of the competition will be aiming to knock off two of the most successful horses this year. That won’t be easy to do, but it’s certainly possible.

Orb’s trainer, Shug McGaughey, told Richard Rosenblatt of the Associated Press, via The Miami Herald, that the horse’s fourth-place finish at the Preakness was in part due to his inability to get on the outside and find running room.

While Oxbow managed to top Orb at the Kentucky Derby, he now will also attempt to find room to run while other horses and jockeys try to prevent that from happening. Only 11 horses have won the Triple Crown, and winning two of the three races isn't a walk in the park either.

Next Saturday, don’t expect to see Orb or Oxbow finish toward the front of the pack. The competition will be successful in making sure that neither breaks through and takes a large lead to get a victory or a top-three finish.

Horse With 30-1 Odds Finishes Top 3

There are currently three horses with 30-1 odds to win at the Belmont Stakes, according to Watchmaker: Giant Finish, Incognito and Midnight Taboo. I've already told you that Unlimited Budget is going to win it all, but one of those three will be joining the filly in the top three.

While each horse has had its fair share of success this year, only Giant Finish has run in a Triple Crown race. Giant Finish came in 10th place at the Kentucky Derby, who entered the race late.

As Giant Finish's trainer, Tony Dutrow, told David Grening of Daily Racing Form, "I was happily surprised that he beat half the field. I’m not making any predictions, but I do think the mile and a half [at the Belmont Stakes] will be good for our horse."

Incognito and Midnight Taboo will both be looking to have similar success, but the lack of experience doesn't help their cases. Yet while experience is usually important in the Triple Crown, the unpredictability of these races gives these horses a chance to finish in the top three and potentially even come out on top.

Let’s not forget that Oxbow wasn't close to being favored to win the Preakness and he still did. These three horses will each attempt to be the second horse this year to overcome the odds at a Triple Crown race.