Belmont Stakes 2024: What You Need To Know Before Making Your Bets

Due to renovations to Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course in New York hosts the Belmont Stakes 2024. Because of the relocation, the 2024 Belmont is 1.25 miles instead of its usual 1.5-mile distance. It's the final leg of the Triple Crown for three-year-olds. There is a 10-horse field featuring the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners, Mystik Dan and Seize The Grey. 

I'm a Saratoga native, so this place holds a special place in my heart and it bums me out I won't be there for the Belmont. My late grandma went to the track every Sunday after mass during Saratoga's summer meet. But, we're holding a service for her in August and having a family day at the track in Saratoga. Regardless, Saratoga should be on every sports fan's bucket list. 

As I discussed when previewing the Kentucky Derby, horse race betting can be overwhelming. Obviously, you can bet a horse to Win (1st), "Place" (2nd), and "Show" (3rd) or "Across the Board", which is betting all three. Moreover, there are exotics such as "Exacta", "Trifecta", and "Superfecta" for those searching for massive paydays. 

In an exacta, you bet 2+ horses to finish 1st or 2nd. A trifecta includes 3+ horses for the Win-Place-Show. A superfecta is 4+ horses to finish 1-4. By "boxing" an exacta, bettors can win if at least two of their picks Win or Place. The same goes for trifecta and superfecta boxes. "Keying" an exotic allows you to put your winner "up top" with horses underneath to finish in any order. 

Belmont Stakes 2024 Field, Post Positions, Odds 

1- Seize The Grey

• ML Odds: 8-1
• Record: 10-4-0-3
• Trainer: Wayne Lukas
• Jockey: Jaime Torres
• Best Beyer: 100

The Arrogate colt ran his fastest race in the Preakness. Seize The Grey led after the first and second calls and in the stretch. He broke his maiden on a wet track in Saratoga last year, beating the #6 horse, Dornoch, by 1.75 lengths. More importantly, Seize The Grey could get a good trip because he has the fastest early speed in this race and starts on the rail. USING.

Preakness Stakes winner, Seize The Grey, trains for the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in New York. (Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports)

2- Resilience 

• ML Odds: 10-1
• Record: 7-2-1-1
• Trainer: William Mott
• Jockey: Junior Alvarado
• Best Beyer: 90

He was in the mix heading into the stretch at the Kentucky Derby before finishing sixth. But, Resilience is 1-0-0 in three graded races and missed the board in his only start at Saratoga last September. Seize The Grey or the #4 horse, The Wine Steward, should set the pace and Resilience has the second-slowest late pace in the field. TOSS. 

3- Mystik Dan 

• ML Odds: 5-1
• Record: 8-3-2-1
• Trainer: Kenny McPeek
• Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
• Best Beyer: 101

The Kentucky Derby champion finished second in the Preakness but ran a good race. Mystik Dan has hit the board in four graded races: 2-1-1. If the Belmont was its usual 1.5-mile distance, I'd probably stay away from Mystik Dan. The added length and running all the Triple Crown races would gas him at the end. But, this year's Belmont is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby and Mystik Dan is the second-fastest horse in the field. CONTENDER. 

4- The Wine Steward 

• ML Odds: 15-1
• Record: 6-3-3-0
• Trainer: Michael Maker
• Jockey: Manuel Franco
• Best Beyer: 92

This is a good horse that’s hit the board in all six career starts. After winning his first three sprints, including his only race in Saratoga, The Wine Steward placed in three straight graded races. He's been the top betting choice in four races. His biggest payout was $3.96 at the Claiborne. The Wine Steward still outran his odds as the third choice, placing second. USING. 

5- Antiquarian 

• ML Odds: 12-1
• Record: 4-2-1-0
• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: John R. Velazquez
• Best Beyer: 92

After running poorly in the Grade II Louisiana Derby (sixth), Antiquarian won the Grade III Peter Pan, a Belmont Stakes prep race, at Aqueduct last month. He beat two horses in the Belmont field, The Wine Steward and the #7 horse, Protective. The #5 horse placed in his first career race, at Saratoga. But, Antiquarian will finish behind The Wine Steward and Seize The Grey at the first call and be passed by stronger closers. TOSS. 

6- Dornoch 

• ML Odds: 15-1
• Record: 7-3-2-0
• Trainer: Danny Gargan
• Jockey: Luis Saez
• Best Beyer: 91

According to most horse handicappers I've listened to, Dornoch had the worst trip in a 10th-place finish at the Kentucky Derby. He's an early speed horse that was bumped at the start, lost inside position, and got stuck in the middle of the pack. Since the Belmont is a much smaller field, and he posts toward the outside, Dornoch should get a better trip at Saratoga. 

He has two graded wins under his belt: Remsen Grade II at Aqueduct in December and the Fountain of Youth Grade II at Gulfstream in March. In the Remsen, Dornoch beat the Belmont favorite, Sierra Leone, by a nose and closed as the top betting choice. The #6 horse has been training in Saratoga for weeks and finished second to Seize The Grey in his first race up in 'Toga in July 2023. 

Furthermore, the weather forecast is predicting rain in Saratoga Friday and Dornoch is 1-1-0 in two starts on a Wet track. If Dornoch hits the board, he could equal a huge payout for an exotic given the price. Lastly, I just have a good feeling about Dornoch and will have a WINNING TICKET on him. 

7- Protective 

• ML Odds: 20-1
• Record: 4-M-1-2
• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
• Best Beyer: 89

This Pletcher trainee has yet to break his maiden. He ran a plodding 50-second four-furlong work on the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga Thursday. Granted, Pletcher has won the Belmont four times. But, if Protective beats me, he beats me. Between the added distance and Grade I field, winning the Belmont, or even hitting the board, is too much to ask of Protective. 

8- Honor Marie 

• ML Odds: 12-1
• Record: 6-2-2-0
• Trainer: Whitworth Beckman
• Jockey: Florent Geroux
• Best Beyer: 96

Like the Kentucky Derby, Honor Marie appears to be a "wise-guy" pick for the Belmont too. He's never run at Saratoga and was unimpressive in an eighth-place finish at the Derby. In the Daily Racing Form's blurb on Honor Marie, it mentions that "Belmont history prefers someone with tactical speed". Honor Marie has a 43 early speed and 120 closing speed, so he might have too much ground to make up. TOSS. 

9- Sierra Leone 

• ML Odds: 9-5
• Record: 5-3-2-0
• Trainer: Chad Brown
• Jockey: Flavien Prat
• Best Beyer: 99

Belmont Stakes contender Sierra Leone trains at Saratoga Race Course. (Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports)

Saratoga Race Course is called the Graveyard of Champions and Secretariat lost the 1973 Whitney Stakes in ‘Toga a few months after winning the Triple Crown. If Secretariat can lose here, Sierra Leone certainly can too. Also, the same "tactical speed" point above applies here. The #9 horse has a 58 early speed and 122 closing speed. 

Nonetheless, Sierra Leone is the best horse in the field. The Belmont is in the trainer's backyard and Sierra Leone has been preparing for the Belmont at Saratoga for nearly a month. He's hit the board in every race and lost by a nose in both second-place finishes. I'll USE SIERRA LEONE in a couple of exotics but won't have a winning ticket on him. 

10- Mindframe 

• ML Odds: 7-2
• Record: 2-2-0-0
• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
• Best Beyer: 103

He won his only two races by a combined 20+ lengths. However, neither was a graded stakes race, and he's going to 10 furlongs from a one-and-one-sixteenth-mile distance. Plus, according to BettingPros.com, only one horse running from the 10-post has won the Belmont, nearly 30 years ago (1995). 

I do like the Constitution colt's chances of breaking well since Sierra Leone starts slow typically, and Pletcher's Belmont track record. FanDuel Racing is projecting Mindframe's true odds to be 7-1 as of Friday morning. The #10 horse has the fastest race in this field and, if he's the goods, 7-1 odds would be a steal for Mindframe. WINNING TICKET PLAY. 

Belmont Stakes 2024 Bet Slip 

• $10 Win-Place: 10-Mindframe for a $20 total bet
• $5 Win-Place-Show: 6-Dornoch for a $15 total bet
• $1 Trifecta Key: 10/ 1-6-9 for a $6 total bet
• $1 Trifecta Box: 1-3-10 for a $6 total bet
• $1 Exacta Box: 6-9-10 for a $6 total bet
• $1 Exacta Box: 3-4-6 for a $6 total bet
• $1 Exacta Box: 4-6 for a $2 total bet

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