Belmont Stakes 2018 Contenders: Odds Info for Justify, Top Favorites

Justify has already etched his name into the history books of horse racing with wins at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. Another win at the Belmont Stakes would make him an icon of the sport.

Only 12 horses have managed to win all three—the Triple Crown—with the most recent being American Pharoah in 2015. However, Justify has shown the pedigree needed to make it 13 winners.

After a classy run in Kentucky and a battling victory in the Preakness, it's no surprise to see Justify is the favourite for the Belmont Stakes.

Here's a look at how the betting market is shaping up ahead of a potentially historic day and a preview of the race to come.

Post: Horse (Jockey; Trainer; Odds)

1: Justify (Mike Smith; Bob Baffert; 4-5)

2: Free Drop Billy (Robby Albarado; Dale Romans; 30-1)

3: Bravazo (Luis Saez; D. Wayne Lukas; 8-1)

4: Hofburg (Irad Ortiz; William I. Mott; 9-2)

5: Restoring Hope (Florent Geroux; Bob Baffert; 30-1)

6: Gronkowski (Jose Ortiz; Chad Brown; 12-1)

7: Tenfold (Ricardo Santana Jr.; Steven Asmussen; 12-1) 

8: Vino Rosso (John R. Velazquez; Todd Pletcher; 8-1) 

9: Noble Indy (Javier Castellano; Todd Pletcher; 30-1)

10: Blended Citizen (Kyle Frey; Doug O'Neill; 15-1)

For the numbers in full visit OddsShark.

Justify Faces Toughest Challenge at Belmont

It would be fair to say that while Justify overcame an elite field at Kentucky to win the Run for the Roses, the lineup at the Preakness wasn't stacked quite as highly with high-class runners.

Even so, it was hard work for Justify. As was the case at Churchill Downs, the rain tipped down prior to the Preakness, making conditions challenging for the runners and riders. Yet the colt relished the scrap to outlast everyone down the straight.

As Matt Stone of the Courier Journal captured before the Preakness Stakes, Justify appears to glide across the heavy ground:

Keeping the horse calm and timing a surge to the finish is largely down to the man on board, though, and Mike Smith has been excellent in the saddle in both of Justify's wins to this point.

Trainer Bob Baffert will be delighted to have Smith in the saddle again on Saturday, as he's one of the most experienced and successful jockeys around. He knows how to get a horse around Belmont successfully, too, with wins in this event in 2010 and 2013.

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

That nous will be important again this year, as Smith has shown the ability to win from a bad break, from tough post positions and in different conditions.

As relayed by Tim Wilkin of the Albany Times Union, Smith has commanded a lot of attention for his efforts:

Belmont brings different types of challenges, though, most notably the fact it's the longest of the three Triple Crown races.

Given Justify was almost pipped on the line at the Preakness by Bravazo, not to mention the fatigue which comes with running in three races in quick succession, that may be a problem.

Bravazo is one of a number of serious rivals for Justify again at Belmont, and based on the finish to the Preakness, the longer distance may favour him.

Second in the betting ahead of the race is Hofburg. He was seventh in Derby and held back for Preakness to focus on the final Triple Crown race. Hofburg performed well in the Grade 1 Florida Derby earlier this year, finishing in second place behind Audible.