After two incredible upsets in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, all hopes of seeing a 14th Triple Crown champion this year has officially ended. However, with the Belmont Stakes in the offing, there’s an opportunity for one of the winners from the first two legs of the Triple Crown to establish dominance.
Slated for Saturday, June 8, this year’s Belmont Stakes marks the competition’s 156th edition and will be held at the Saratoga Racecourse. Organizers had announced this change in venue earlier in the year as renovations remain ongoing in Belmont Park. That would bring the distance of this year’s Belmont Stakes to 1.25 miles, just the same as the Kentucky Derby.
Unfortunately, too, we won’t be seeing a full field either. Only ten horses will run in the prestigious event after Fierceness got ruled out of participating in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Nonetheless, the race promises to live up to expectations. And with the post-position draw ready, enough excitement is gearing among bettors as we countdown to the event proper. If you’re considering placing a bet, here’s a detailed guide on race favorites, odds and post position bets.
Belmont Stakes Horses
Before we get cracking into the details of likely horses to wear the anticipated crown, it’s only proper to get a preview of the competitors. Here are the ten horses that will be participating in the prestigious race.
Seize the Grey
With two Stakes wins under its belt, Seize the Grey is entering the Belmont Stakes with all possible odds in its favor. The Preakness Stakes winning horse is owned by MyRacehorse and trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lucas.
Resilience
Despite starting out well at the Kentucky Derby, this horse failed to live up to its name and trailed to a sixth position finish. Its trainer Bill Mott, however, believes that Resilience is up for a bigger challenge.
Mystik Dan
After impressing the audience to clinch a first place finish at the Kentucky Derby, this three-year-old will fancy yet another stakes title. Mystik Dan is trained by Triple Crown winner Kenneth McPeek.
The Wine Steward
Sired by Vino Rosso, The Wine Steward made its debut with a mind-blowing three-race winning streak. It is trained by Michael Maker and jointly owned by Paradise Farms Corp and David Staudacher.
Antiquarian
Antiquarian stepped out for its first race in January this year and went on to win its maiden title in February at Fair Grounds. Owned by Centennial Farms, Antiquarian works out with Todd Pletcher as its trainer.
Dornoch
Foaled in April 2021, Dornoch made its debut in 2023. It is a full sibling of Mage, the winner of last year’s Kentucky Derby. Dornoch is trained by Danny Gargan and will have Luis Saez as its jockey.
Protective
Protective has raced between 2023 and 2024, trained also by Todd Pletcher. The horse is owned by Repole Stable and will be racing in its first Triple Crown event at Belmont Stakes on Saturday.
Honor Marie
The winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club race, Honor Marie would later see itself out to an 8th place finish at the Kentucky Derby. It is trained by Whit Beckman and jockeyed by Florent Geroux.
Sierra Leone
Taking the ninth position on the field is Sierra Leone. The horse is trained by Chad Brown and emerged second in a photo finish at the Kentucky Derby. Despite the sad ending to the outing in Kentucky, the horse has two stakes wins to be proud of.
Mindframe
This three-year-old is owned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC. It made its debut only in March and is trained by Todd Pletcher ahead of its first ever stakes race.
Favorites and Expert Predictions
A number of sportsbooks have listed four horses as the favorites to come tops ahead of the Belmont Stakes race on Saturday. Unsurprisingly, this shortlist includes Mystik Dan and Seize the Grey, the winners from the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, respectively.
Joining the esteemed favorites is Sierra Leone who is considered by some bookies to have a 40% chance of emerging champion. Fierceness was listed as the second most likely horse to win. However, it is now replaced in that position by Mindframe, a rather inexperienced competitor but with quite apparent potential to pull an upset.
Odds and Best Bets
Sierra Leone is leading the odds table at major sports betting platforms, including FanDuel. Below is a table detailing the chances of each horse winning on the moneyline and fractional odds.
| Position |
Horse |
Moneyline Odds |
Fractional Odds |
| 9 |
Sierra Leone |
+150 |
9-5 |
| 10 |
Mindframe |
+250 |
7-2 |
| 3 |
Mystik Dan |
+650 |
5-1 |
| 1 |
Seize the Grey |
+550 |
8-1 |
| 2 |
Resilience |
+900 |
10-1 |
| 8 |
Honor Marie |
+1200 |
12-1 |
| 5 |
Antiquarian |
+1200 |
12-1 |
| 4 |
The Wine Steward |
+2500 |
15-1 |
| 6 |
Dornoch |
+2500 |
15-1 |
| 7 |
Protective |
+4000 |
20-1 |
Ahead of the race in Saratoga, Sierra Leone is no doubt one of the best bets. The horse has everything it takes to emerge champion and it will be its race to lose on Saturday. Mystik Dan and Seize the Grey are also top options to consider.
For sleepers, Antiquarian takes the leading pole as it has shown promising signs in its workout and maintained a fine form over the course of its racing career.
