Angel Of Empire, Hit Show Will Vie For Belmont Stakes 2023
The final leg of the 2023 Triple Crown — the 155th Belmont Stakes — runs Saturday, June 10 at the Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It's a 1.5-mile race and the post time for the Belmont is 7:02 p.m. ET.
Todd Pletcher's horse, Forte (5-to-2), makes his 2023 Triple Crown debut out of the 6 Post after abruptly pulling out of the Kentucky Derby with a foot injury. Forte was the Derby favorite on the morning line and is the favorite to win the Belmont.
Belmont Stakes contender Forte walks along the training track after a morning workout at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
National Treasure (5-to-1) tries to go back-to-back at this year's Triple Crown from the 4 Post after winning the 2023 Preakness Stakes on May 20. He didn't run in the Kentucky Derby due to the suspension of his trainer, Bob Baffert, at the Derby.
Angel of Empire (7-to-2) became the Derby favorite once Forte pulled out. The 3-year-old colt finished third behind Mage, and Two Phil's. Angel of Empire will be running out of the 8 Post.
Belmont Stakes 2023 Post Positions & Odds
Belmont's 'Horses for the Course'
Angel of Empire (7-to-2)
According to the Daily Racing Forum (DRF), Angel of Empire had great works both before and after the Derby and has looked good in preparing for the Belmont.
No horse in this Belmont field has touched Angel of Empire's top-end Beyer speed figure of "104" at the Derby. The Belmont-favorite Forte's "100" at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November 2022 is the closest Beyer speed figure.
Also, the Derby 1.25-mile race whereas the Belmont is a 1.5-mile race. Angel of Empire was 16th out of 18 horses in the Derby after the First Call, 15th after the second and 10th after the third.
Mage (8), with jockey Javier Castellano leads Two Phil's (3) with Jareth Loveberry and Angel of Empire (14) with Flavien Prat across the finish line to win the 147th running of The Kentucky Derby in Louisville.
He finished third at the Derby but was "gaining," at the finish per DRF. The Belmont is the first 1.5-mile race any of these 3-year-old colts will run so we cannot be for certain. But, Angel of Empire would've won the Derby if it were a 1.5-mile race.
Per DRF linemaker David Aragona, Angel of Empire has the 2nd-best value of any horse at the Belmont to win. Angel of Empire's trainer, Brad Cox, won the 2021 Belmont Stakes and is one of the best trainers in horse racing.
Hit Show (10-to-1)
This is another Brad Cox thoroughobred. Hit Show's Beyer speed figure has increased in six consecutive races culminating in a "98" at the Kentucky Derby. He finished fifth in the Derby but, again, that was a congested race.
Hit Show during a workout for the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. (Matt Stone/Louisville Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)
There were 18 horses that ran in the Derby compared to just nine for the Belmont. Hit Show ran out of the 1 Post at the Derby and got trapped inside but still had a nice finish.
Hit Show also has better value than his morning-line odds according to DRF's David Aragona. He has the 3rd best value to win the Belmont behind Angel of Empire and Red Route One.