California Chrome, seen here winning the San Felipe, will be the favorite for the Belmont Stakes (Photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
With the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) under his belt, California Chrome arrived in New York on Thursday and is the big betting favorite in early Belmont Stakes odds released by Sportsbook.ag.
The colt won the Preakness by 1 ½ lengths over the fast closing Ride On Curlin, paying $3.00 to win. His price could even be lower by the time they load the field in the starting gate for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 7. The colt is currently listed at odds of -115.
The colt has won six races in a row by a combined 28 lengths. After earning a 97 Beyer Speed Figure in the Derby, which some questioned, he earned a 105 for his Preakness win. His top numbers were a 108 earned winning the San Felipe (G2) in March and a 107 in his Santa Anita Derby (G1) victory in April.
There appears to be a three-way duel for who will be the second choice in the Belmont Stakes betting. Ride On Curlin, Tonalist and Wicked Strong are each listed at +800- at Sportsbook.ag.
Ride On Curlin will be the only other runner that will compete in all three Triple Crown races,. Tonalist is coming off a victory in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) while Wicked Strong makes his first start since his fourth place finish in the Run for the Roses.
Danza, who was third in the Kentucky Derby appeared likely to be a formidable foe in the Belmont Stakes, but his trainer Todd Pletcher said he was not happy with his work on May 18 at Belmont Park and will skip the race. Pletcher will still be represented by Commissioner (+2500) and Intense Holiday (+3500).
The 2014 Belmont Stakes will be run on Saturday, June 7 at Belmont Park on what will be the richest day of racing Belmont Stakes history. There are nine additional stakes including five prestigious Grade 1 events: the $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap, the $1 million Ogden Phipps, the $1 million Manhattan, the $750,000 Longines Just a Game and the $750,000 Acorn.
In total, the 13-race card will be worth $8 million, making New York’s Spring Championships the second-richest day on the North American racing calendar behind only Breeders’ Cup Saturday.
Here are the latest Belmont Stakes Odds via Sportsbook.ag:
California Chrome -115
Candy Boy +3000
Commanding Curve +1200
Commissioner +2500
Intense Holiday +3500
Kid Cruz +5000
Ride On Curlin +800
Ring Weekend +5000
Samraat +2500
Social Inclusion +3000
Tonalist +800
Wicked Strong +800
Michael Dempsey’s Belmont Park Reports
Michael’s Belmont Park Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations. Michael has been handicapping the New York circuit on a daily basis for nearly three decades.
Belmont Park Spring/Summer Meet Special: Michael’s full card reports for the entire spring/summer meeting at Belmont Park from now until July 13. The package includes the Belmont Stakes Day card along with three new events – the Belmont Stakes Festival on June 6-8, Stars & Stripes Day on July 5 and a May 11 Mother’s Day card featuring three graded stakes. In all, the schedule contains 62 stakes races worth $17.95 million, including 16 overnight stakes with purses of $100,000 each.
