Belmont Stakes 2018: Betting odds, picks, favorites
By Zoe West
Several hours before the crowds arrive and the horses go to post, here’s what the betting scene looks like for the Belmont Stakes.
The more people bet on each of the horses in the Belmont Stakes, the lower their odds get. Of course this usually means there is some change throughout race day, but futures have already set the morning line odds, and there probably won’t be any dramatic changes. Here’s a look at where those odds stand the morning of the race.
As expected, Justify will go off as the favorite. He isn’t listed quite at even odds, but that could change by post time and it’s hard to see him dropping much further than he is now. The second choice, Hofburg, hasn’t raced since the Kentucky Derby. In that race he finished seventh, but didn’t have the smoothest of trips and was coign strongly at the end. He will be one of the better rested horses in the race, and at a mile and a half that could be important.
The co-long shots in the field, currently are Free Drop Billy, Restoring Hope and Vino Rosso. Free Drop Billy and Vino Rosso finished 9th and 17th in the Derby, respectively. Neither raced in the Preakness. This will be Restoring Hope’s first appearance in the series. He is probably the least accomplished horse in the field. He’s only won once, in a maiden race (meaning none of the horses had ever won). His best finish in any notable race was a third in the Wood Memorial, one of the prep races for the Kentucky Derby.
The full field (including morning odds) goes:
1. Justify, 4-5
2. Free Drop Billy, 30-1
3. Bravazo, 8-1
4. Hofburg, 9-2
5. Restoring Hope, 30-1
6. Gronkowski, 12-1
7. Tenfold, 12-1
8. Vino Rosso, 30-1
9. Noble Indy, 12-1
10. Blended Citizen, 15-1
Post time for the Belmont Stakes is 6:37 p.m. ET, coverage of the undercard races begins at 2 p.m. ET.