Belmont Stakes 2013 Horses: Bold Predictions for the Field

With the Belmont Stakes only hours away from getting underway at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, naming the winner is among the bold predictions that are ready to be unveiled.

Every big sporting event needs bold predictions, and horse racing is no different. In the final leg of the Triple Crown, there will be plenty of storylines entering the race.

It looks like it is Orb and Oxbow against the field, but there are plenty of horses that can pose a threat to the favorites. In a deep 14-horse field, each horse needs to be ready to go from the start.

The 1.5-mile track could make it difficult on the horses. It's the longest leg of the Triple Crown, and conditions look like it will be a sloppy race. Tropical Storm Andrea is bringing rain for the next few days, so the track will be muddy.

Here are a few bold predictions for Saturday's Belmont Stakes.

Triple Crown leg winners: One will repeat, one will finish outside of top three

Orb took home the roses at the Kentucky Derby, and Oxbow came out on top at the Preakness Stakes. So which one will get another win while the other disappoints?

In poor conditions, the best horse will win. That just happens to be Orb.

Although he had a disappointing fourth-place finish at the Preakness, Orb will be ready on Saturday. He had won five consecutive races entering his last race. Out of every horse in this field, only one has beaten Orb in nearly seven months.

Yes, Oxbow is the only horse in this field to beat Orb during that stretch. Oxbow won his last race, but he didn't do as well on the longer course. Orb was able to beat Oxbow in the 1.25-mile Kentucky Derby, but Oxbow managed to sneak out a win in the 1.1875-mile track at the Preakness.

It doesn't seem like much of a difference, but that's enough room for a stronger horse to make a late run.

Orb will be the winner on Saturday, and Oxbow will be disappointed after not finishing in the top three.

Todd Pletcher will have three horses in the top five

He may not have a winner, but Todd Pletcher will have three horses that finish in the top five. He has the best odds to win, as he has five horses in the race. However, none of the horses are expected to win.

The trainer will send out five horses at the Belmont Stakes: Midnight Taboo, Overanalyze, Palace Malice, Revolutionary and Unlimited Budget.

Revolutionary will place in the top three, but it will be interesting to see who else will do well on a sloppy track. Newcomer Unlimited Budget will be the first filly to compete in the race since 2007, but she can hold her own. She will be one of Pletcher's horses that finishes in the top five.

With one more horse to pick, it's tough to decide between long shots. Palace Malice will continue to be inconsistent. However, that's a good thing for him. He has done well, then taken a step back in the next race. Fortunately for him (now), he placed 12th at the Kentucky Derby. Palace Malice will jump back up into the top five.

It's a bold prediction for one trainer to have three horses finish so high, but Pletcher has the horses to do it.

Sloppy track hurts long shots' chances

Horses like Will Take Charge and Incognito would have a chance to challenge for a spot in the top three in a normal race. The rainy forecast will make it extremely difficult for them to seriously contend.

Will Take Charge has been a horse to watch this year, but disappointing finishes in the first two legs of the Triple Crown have him as a long shot. He followed up an eighth-place finish at Churchill Downs by finishing seventh at the Preakness.

Incognito hasn't raced in any Triple Crown leg yet, so nobody knows what to expect from him. He has the potential to be among the leaders at the end of the day, but he has not raced against tough competition yet this year.

On a sunny day, those two horses would be able to stay in contention all race. A sloppy track will eliminate any chance they have of coming away with the win.

*All results are via HorseRacingNation.com