2019 Belmont Stakes Betting Strategies

Did you know that the Belmont Stakes, in addition to being known as the “Test of the Champion” for its long track, is also known as “The Run for the Carnations”? That’s because the victorious horse receives a blanket of white carnations at the conclusion of the race, much like the red roses and black-eyed Susans that the winners of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes (respectively) receive. The blanket of white carnations has about 700 flowers, imported fro Colombia, and weighs about 40 pounds. Another tradition is the silver winner’s trophy, which Paulding Farnham designed for Tiffany & Co. for presentation to August Belmont Jr in 1896. The Belmont family donated the trophy for yearly presentation in 1926, and the trophy has remained in use each year since. Another yearly tradition of the Belmont Stakes is the chance for sports betting enthusiasts to win big if they choose wisely. We have the full list of horses by post position and 2019 Belmont Stakes odds, along with some suggestions to boost your winnings.

2019 Belmont Stakes Betting Strategies

We are ON the turf for Day 1 of the @BelmontStakes Racing Festival! 🌱

— NYRA (@TheNYRA) June 6, 2019

• When: Saturday, June 8
• Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
• TV: NBC
• Live Stream: NBCSports.com

Odds to Win the 2019 Belmont Stakes

• #1 Joevia (30/1)
• #2 Everfast (12/1)
• #3 Master Fencer (8/1)
• #4 Tax (15/1)
• #5 Bourbon War (12/1)
• #6 Spinoff (15/1)
• #7 Sir Winston (12/1)
• #8 Intrepid Heart (10/1)
• #9 War of Will (2/1)
• #10 Tacitus (9/5)

One of the more intriguing horses here is Intrepid Heart, racing out of the eighth post position. He won his debut at Oaklawn Park, with a distance of one mile, by 7 ¾ lengths, leading the race from wire to wire. He also won a 1 1/16-mile race at Keeneland, coming back from a deficit down the stretch to deliver a convincing win. Intrepid Heart did not fare so well at the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes. This race went just 1 ⅛ miles, going around one turn instead of both of them, and Intrepid Heart lost his footing at the beginning and was running further off the front than he usually does. In the homestretch, he got caught in traffic and had to stop his forward momentum. He did come in third, but he was not close to finishing as the runner-up. Given the problems that he had on the track, that was a respectable finish. Trainer Todd Pletcher will add blinkers for Intrepid Heart at the Belmont Stakes, which should reduce some of the distractions around him, and the style that he has — inexorable with stamina, holding just enough speed for the close — makes him an intriguing pick. None of the horses on the entry list are bursting with pure speed, so when stamina becomes the most important factor, it’s hard not to put some money down. The only front-running horse in this group is Joevia — who is here at 30/1 odds. Joevia could end up on the board too — he has made it into the exacta (the top two) in four of five races. He comes off the rail and should push to an early lead. Can he hold on? He did run well against Alwaysmining and Haikal back in the winter.

What about the exotics?

These are the exacta, trifecta and superfecta. I like Intrepid Heart to make the board, so I would make an exacta that includes Intrepid Heart and the option of Tacitus or War of Will as the other top-two finisher. If you want to go to the trifecta, I would put down a bet that has Intrepid Heart along with War of Will and Tacitus and then as the third option, I would add Joevia and perhaps Bourbon War to make four. Enjoy your betting on the Belmont!