As we approach the last leg of the 2023 Triple Crown, Saturday’s Belmont Stakes looks like the best betting race of the bunch.
There will be no Triple Crown winner for the fifth consecutive year, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any drama.
We’re happy to have Circa horse racing oddsmaker Paul Zilm along for the ride to help offer up Belmont Stakes best bets and predictions.
Belmont Morning-Line Odds 2023
Here are Belmont Stakes morning-line odds with posts, jockeys, and trainers for all nine horses.
| Post Position | Trainer | Jockey | Morning Line Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Tapit Shoes | Brad Cox | Jose Ortiz | 20-1 |
| 2 Tapit Trice | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 3-1 |
| 3 Arcangelo | Jena Antonucci | Javier Castellano | 8-1 |
| 4 National Treasure | Bob Baffert | John Velazquez | 5-1 |
| 5 Il Miracolo | Antonio Sano | Marcos Meneses | 30-1 |
| 6 Forte | Todd Pletcher | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 5-2 |
| 7 Hit Show | Brad Cox | Manny Franco | 10-1 |
| 8 Angel of Empire | Brad Cox | Flavien Prat | 7-2 |
| 9 Red Route One | Steve Asmussen | Joel Rosario | 15-1 |
More from Belmont: 2023 Belmont post position draw & field | 2023 Belmont Stakes odds
Belmont Stakes Top Contenders
Forte, Tapit Trice, Angel of Empire, and National Treasure lead the way on the morning line. National Treasure didn’t compete in the Kentucky Derby, due to trainer Bob Baffert’s suspension from Churchill Downs, but he came back to win the Preakness in fine fashion.
“The betting should be distributed pretty good to ensure we won’t have a real short price,” Zilm said of the Belmont Stakes. “I think the top three of Forte, Tapit Trice, and Angel of Empire are solid, and when the Preakness winner is the fourth choice on the morning line, I think that’s a great sign we should have a good betting race.”
“I don’t see a wicked hot pace here, and I do think National Treasure may get out on the lead and get comfortable again, just like he did in the Preakness,” Zilm said. “The difference being in this race, I feel the quality of horses are better, and that extra distance may do more favors to the off-the-pace horses than for him.”
Look for a Longer Shot in Belmont Stakes?
Like a lot of horse bettors, Zilm typically looks for more value with mid-range prices and even longshots when circumstances dictate. But his outlook for the 2023 Belmont Stakes doesn’t make that an easy task.
“It might be hard to find a price horse in this race,” he said. “Arcangelo will get some attention because of his win over this track a month ago, but he would have to be higher than 12-1 or 15-1 for me to get real interested. Hit Show and Red Route One both have shown ability to come off the pace, but are they good enough? I don’t think they are.”
Tapit Shoes (20-1) and Il Miracolo (30-1) are the longest shots in the morning-line odds, and Zilm thinks they are priced accordingly.
“May need chaos for either of them to be there in the end,” he said.
Best Bets & Predictions for Belmont Stakes 2023
In the final analysis for Belmont Stakes best bets and predictions, Zilm favors Angel of Empire and Tapit Trice over Forte and National Treasure. In their last starts, Angel of Empire finished third and Tapit Trice came home seventh in the Kentucky Derby.
“Both ran respectable in the Derby and the five weeks off should mean they are fresh and ready to go,” Zilm said. “If Forte is 100% healthy, obviously you can’t discount what he’s done to this point. I lean Angel of Empire and Tapit Trice over the other two.”
Bet it here: Claim Your $20 ‘No Sweat Belmont Bet’ at FanDuel Racing
How to Watch 2023 Belmont Stakes
Date: Saturday, June 10, 2023
Post Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
Location: Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
TV: FOX
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