Belmont Stakes 2013 Field: Horses with Best Odds in Triple Crown's Last Leg

The Belmont Stakes’ field continues to be poked, prodded and analyzed before the starting gunshot. As a result, the odds keep shifting.

For an advantageous bettor, that leaves an opening to get some juicy values on prime horses riding for the Triple Crown’s final jewel. This year’s race looks as wide open as ever, with five horses slated with at least a 12 percent shot to claim the carnations.

At this current stage, let’s find the best values on the board while they’re still available.

When: Saturday, June 8

Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y.

Post Time: 6:20 p.m. ET

Purse: $1 Million

Grade: I

Distance: 12 furlongs

Watch: Live on NBC and Live Stream on NBC Sports

Post Positions, Complete Field and Updated Odds (as of Friday, June 7)

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Morning Line
1	Frac Daddy	K. McPeek	A. Garcia	30-1
2	Freedom Child	T. Albertrani	L. Saez	8-1
3	Overanalyze	T. Pletcher	J. Velazquez	12-1
4	Giant Finish	A. Dutrow	E. Prado	30-1
5	Orb	C. McGaughey III	J. Rosario	3-1
6	Incognito	K. McLaughlin	I. Ortiz Jr.	20-1
7	Oxbow	D.W. Lukas	G. Stevens	5-1
8	Midnight Taboo	T. Pletcher	G. Gomez	30-1
9	Revolutionary	T. Pletcher	J. Castellano	9-2
10	Will Take Charge	D.W. Lukas	J. Court	20-1
11	Vyjack	R. Rodriguez	J. Lea	20-1
12	Palace Malice	T. Pletcher	M. Smith	15-1
13	Unlimited Budget (f)	T. Pletcher	R. Napravnik	8-1
14	Golden Soul	D. Stewart	R. Albarado	10-1

Odds and post position courtesy of Nailah E.Timberlake of NYRA.

Golden Soul, 10-1

A horse with a penchant for strong finishes, Golden Soul looks like a prime selection for a Belmont upset bid.

After all, it was this horse that blazed down the final stretch of the Kentucky Derby, only to finish in second place behind Orb. By the Derby’s end, though, Golden Soul had outpaced Oxbow and Revolutionary—two horses that have superior odds heading into Saturday.

The lengthy New York track lays out nicely for Stewart’s colt to make a late charge and steal the carnations. He’s considered one of the best distance horses in the field, but mixed results have blemished his Belmont odds.

Golden Soul bettors are ecstatic for a potentially huge payout here.

Oxbow, 5-1

Third-best odds may not be the most enticing value on the board, but it is a ridiculously high number for a horse with such a high pedigree.

After all, Oxbow is merely the Preakness Stakes champion. He and jockey Gary Stevens are reunited after a historic victory at Pimlico. That’s a winning combination no matter how you slice it.

Perhaps the oddsmakers are scared that there have only been two horses who have won two of the three Triple Crown races in the past seven years. Bettors can take that stat wholeheartedly, or they can assume that it’s just a interesting coincidence.

I’ll go with the latter and get favorable odds on a champion. 

Giant Finish 30-1

If I am taking a long shot horse, I will take the one with a previous Belmont Stakes winner as its jockey.

Edgar Prado sports two Belmont Stakes wins on his resume, with many years of experience on this track to boot. If anyone knows how to pace his horse down the longest leg of the Triple Crown, it’s Prado.

Almost a decade ago, Prado took Birdstone past Smarty Jones for a Belmont upset for the ages. That horse held 36-1 odds at the start gate—Giant Finish is similarly a sneaky 30-1.

All of a sudden, Giant Finish and his veteran jockey don’t seem like much an underdog.