Justify has a chance to join the most elite group of athletes in history by becoming the 13th horse to ever win the Triple Crown. But first, he has to conquer the mile and a half beast that is the Belmont Stakes. I would love to see another Triple Crown champion, however, I believe he'll fall short on Saturday (6/9).
Here is what I predict will happen on raceday, giving you my top four picks. I will be placing a couple of small bets, including one on this superfecta:
#1. Hofburg
Hofburg is an improving horse who ran into a ton of trouble in the Kentucky Derby. He was charging at the end and looks like he can get every bit of this distance. I believe with a clean trip he can beat out Justify and win the Belmont Stakes. Hofburg should be about a 4-1 underdog to win.
#2. Blended Citizen
The Peter Pan Stakes winner Blended Citizen has a win at this track as he was able to go six-wide to win the race. He has had several strong workouts since his last race nearly a month ago and he should come on late during the race. Blended Citizen was 15/1 according to the morning line, but he has a real shot of finishing in the money.
#3. Justify
The powerful Kentucky Derby champion is battle-tested, but I believe those battles have taken something out of this horse. His speed figures during the Preakness were among the lowest over the past twenty years, and when you consider the extended distance of Belmont, there is plenty to be concerned about. Justify fades at the end of the race, allowing Blended Citizen and Hofburg to pass him down the stretch.
#4. Free Drop Billy
A big underdog, Free Drop Billy has the best bloodline of this entire group when it comes to distance. He can run all day long and if this race falls apart, meaning the speedsters run out of steam, he could be there to pick up the pieces and finish in the top four.
Other Candidates To Finish Strong
The other three horses that I feel could break into the top four are:
Vino Rosso: An overhyped horse who I don't believe will be competitive in this race. However, he was bred for longer races and could pass tiring horses at the end of the race.
Tenfold: Third place in the Preakness, Tenfold is another horse that looks to be just entering his prime. I worry about Tenfold being able to finish this extremely long race with any energy left.
Bravazo: Because of his Preakness performance, which had him lose by a neck to Justify, Bravazo will be a popular pick this Saturday. Having run in the two previous Triple Crown races and with the added distance -- I don't think Bravazo will be fresh enough to break into the top four.
Make sure to do your own research before betting. Get free past performances from Brisnet here and good luck!