Belmont Stakes closes out 2022 Triple Crown
By NY Hot List Staff | Friday, June 10, 2022
The 2022 Triple Crown becomes a part of history Saturday when the 154th Belmont Stakes closes out a series that will be rehashed for quite a while. It all started with Rich Strike winning the Kentucky Derby at 80-1 odds. Then he said thanks, but no thanks to the Preakness as Early Voting captured the middle jewel at 5-1 odds. Now Rich Strike is back in the Belmont Stakes and forget those 80-1 odds. He’s a 7-2 third choice in a field topped by We the People (2-1) and Mo Donegal (5-2). We the People looks like the lone speed in the Belmont, but enough can happen over the course of the 1 1/2 miles to add some intrigue to the eight-horse field. Will there be another 80-1 winner? No, that won’t happen in such a small field but in a competitive field there are plenty of opportunities to close out the Triple Crown on a high note.
Here’s the Hot List picks for the Belmont Stakes:
The $1.5 million Belmont Stakes (G1) – Belmont Park, Saturday, Race 11.
(6) Mo Donegal won the Wood Memorial (G2) defeating the eventual Preakness winner Early Voting. Then, he was fifth in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Trainer Todd Pletcher looks for his fourth win in the Belmont showing that he knows how to prepare horses for the 12-furlong test. Mo Donegal is likely to be closer to the pace than he was in the Derby. (4) Rich Strike rallied from 17 lengths behind to win the Derby at odds of 80-1 aided by a fast pace and the fact that the favorites had made earlier moves. Getting that far behind in the Belmont will not work, but he has looked spectacular training in New York. (1) We the People has a distinct pace advantage as the only front runner in the field. Since 2000, only three horses won the Belmont while on the lead the entire race and two of them were Triple Crown winners. (8) Barber Road may be able to sneak into the exotics at a good price as he did in 5 out of his last 6 starts. The only exception was his respectable sixth in the Derby.
The rest of the NY Hot List picks and the Special Saturday Pick 3 are available free of charge at this website.