The 2018 Belmont stakes which is also known as “The Third Jewel of the Triple Crown” has extra interest for this renewal. That is because powerhouse Justify will be looking to secure a piece of history by landing the Triple Crown.
The Belmont stakes carries the longest distance of the three Triple Crown races, going over a mile and a half, and it is the final leg of the challenge following the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. Belmont Park is in New York and is a dirt track and the famous race is open to 3-year-old thoroughbreds. This year’s edition will also be extra special because it is the 150th edition of the race.
It hosted a famous scene back in 2015 when American Pharoah became the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to complete the Triple Crown. Will Justify be able to follow in his footsteps after crushing his opponents in the first two legs of the challenge?
Justify
In his bid to become just second horse since 1978 to win the Triple Crown, Justify has been drawn on the rail, something that trainer Bob Baffert is not overly pleased about but it is something that they are going to have to deal with. It hasn’t stopped the overwhelming favouritism that Justify has and he is 4/5 odds with bet365*(Betting Odds taken at 6:00 a.m. on June 6th, 2018) to complete his Triple Crown question.
Justify produced a superb run at the Kentucky Derby in the mud, a race that was always likely to suit him. In horrible conditions then at the Preakness, he battled his way through the fog, showing grit to pull out the win to set up this exciting occasion. It is a well-rested field that Justify will be going up against and in his short career, he is unbeaten over his five outings.
He was always pegged as being something special, and he answered the questions about his potential in pretty emphatic fashion. His win at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby saw him become the first winner of the race since 1882 to have won it without having raced as a two-year-old. Both of his wins at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness were from slot seven, so it is going to shake it up a little bit for his draw at the Belmont Stakes.
Belmont Stakes 2018 Odds
Justify 4/5
Hofburg 9/2
Bravazo 9/1
Vino Rosso 9/1
Tenfold 10/1
Blended Citizen 20/1
Gronkowski 25/1
Noble Indy 33/1
Restoring Hope 33/1
Free Drop Billy 66/1
*(Betting Odds taken at 6:00 a.m. on June 6th, 2018)
Challengers
Who could disrupt Justify’s shot at glory on the weekend? Hofburg is the 9/2 second favourite* (Betting Odds taken at 6:00 a.m. on June 6th, 2018) in Belmont Stakes 2018 betting. He did compete in the Kentucky Derby with a seventh-place finish there but skipped on the Preakness so should be well rested for this longer trip. This is a good horse and will fancy the challenger over the distance to tough it out. Like Hofburg, Vino Rosso was out at the Kentucky Derby where he finished ninth after staying wide the whole race but didn’t take on the challenge of the Preakness.
Most of the rest of the field don’t really look to have too much of a chance in this one. Bravazo will pique the interest of punters after a game challenge that he produced at the Preakness because he did come on strong and cut the distance to leader Justify in the end through the fog. He was a sixth-place finisher at the Kentucky Derby as well and his challenge to Justify in the Preakness did potentially highlight something.
There were just signs of Justify fading a bit in the Preakness and that will raise question marks about his staying power over the longer distance at the Belmont Stakes. Will Bravazo, who went from a poor draw out wide and who does have form, be able to outstay the favourite in a slog at the end? Tenfold is a 10/1 option* (Betting Odds taken at 6:00 a.m. on June 6th, 2018) (appropriately) and he was third behind Justify and Bravazo at the Preakness.
Belmont Stakes Prediction
There is nothing that Justify can take for granted here. Twice in the last six years, a horse has been in the position of landing the Triple Crown to see it all fall apart in the Belmont Stakes. I’ll Have Another blew it in 2012 and then California Chrome in 2014.
Will Justify handle the pressure and most importantly, handle the distance? That is the big factor in this one, does he have the stamina? He is a beast of a horse but Bravazo and Hofburg over the distance, if they are in contention following the second turn, Justify is going to be feeling the heat.
You have to think that this is a three-year-old going out in three Grade 1 races in the space of five weeks. Hofburg and Vino Rosso will have the advantage of fresher legs and both have appeal. Of the two, given the distance, it is Vino Rosso who gets our nod. Given the recent history of Triple Crown challengers, Justify is well worth opposing.
