Belmont Stakes Odds 2018: Final Predictions on Latest Vegas Betting Lines
To be in contention for the Triple Crown in the first place is an incredible achievement for Justify, but the winner of 2018's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes has an opportunity to cement his place in history by winning Saturday's Belmont Stakes.
Justify has displayed power and determination in his two victories over the past five weeks, and he will need endurance to survive the 1 ½-mile trek around Belmont Park against nine other horses.
While he didn't face a ton of challenges in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, Justify is expected to receive the best shot of every competitor in the field at the Belmont Stakes, especially from those with rested legs.
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Hofburg and Vino Rosso lead the collection of horses who didn't compete at the Preakness Stakes, while Bravazo, who finished second at Pimlico, could be in the mix to upset Justify as well.
Vegas Betting Lines
Justify -110; bet $110 to win $100
Hofburg +450; bet $100 to win $450
Bravazo +750
Vino Rosso +900
Tenfold +1,000
Blended Citizen +1,800
Gronkowski +2,500
Noble Indy +2,800
Free Drop Billy +3,000
Restoring Hope +3,300
Odds via OddsShark.
Final Predictions
Justify
Although he's going for the Triple Crown, Justify isn't the overwhelming favorite he was entering the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes.
The Bob Baffert-trained colt stood out among the pack at Churchill Downs and didn't face much of a challenge from the eight-horse field at Pimlico outside of a surge from Bravazo.
Justify sits at -110, which is a much more favorable betting line than the outlandish numbers assigned to him for the Preakness Stakes, which will have turned off some bettors.
Finishing off the Triple Crown in style is going to be hard for the three-year-old, as he only began racing in February and hasn't had a ton of time off between races.
Fatigue is going to be one of the few things to watch during Justify's quest for horse racing immortality, but he's proven in the first two legs of the Triple Crown that he is the best horse in the field.
Justify's odds might shorten on the day of the race given how dominant he's looked in past races, and he could end up somewhere between -200 and -400.
No matter which odds Justify ends up receiving, he's worth taking in your Belmont Stakes selections, especially if you're filling out trifecta or superfecta picks.
Hofburg
The one horse who could come close to Justify on the odds chart before post time is Hofburg.
The top challenger to Justify in the eyes of the oddsmakers on race day, Hofburg is one of a handful of horses who skipped the Preakness Stakes after the Kentucky Derby to focus on the Belmont Stakes.
The team behind Hofburg has plenty to prove after the horse turned in a disappointing seventh-place finish at Churchill Downs.
Although he doesn't have an impressive win on his resume, Hofburg enters Saturday with fresh legs and the ability to test Justify from the start.
As we saw at the end of the Preakness Stakes with Bravazo, Justify is going to feel pressure from other horses in the field, and if fatigue sets in, the Belmont Stakes could become a free-for-all.
If Hofburg's odds decrease from +450 before the start of the race, there are other options with longer odds to make money off, including Tenfold and Vino Rosso. But given the buzz around him and the rested legs he's racing on, Hofburg seems like a solid choice to put money on.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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