Betting Line for the 2010 Belmont Stakes

(Elmont,NY) – The triple crown may have lost its luster after Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver finished 8th in the Preakness. Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky who was without luck in the Derby revealed his true nature with a perfect trip and appropriate handling by his new rider Martin Garcia are  both absent from competition today. There’s something to be said for the fact they’re not here. Why? Because of the grueling facet of the triple crown. Three straining races in six weeks ending with a mile and a half marathon at the Belmont is a lot to ask. There is even some consideration for changing the triple crown format. The pros and Cons of it are both valid. The purity of it says when one horse finally does it, it will be a real one. Another side says it will be a better promotion of Horse Racing. If a horse happens to win the Derby and Preakness as in Big Brown 2008 he is left with a huge hill to climb being asked to win the mile and a half Belmont basically facing fresh horses who have not even participated in the triple crown. So we are left with a few contenders who are fairly rested. Ice Box skipping the Preakness as well as Stately Victor and Make Music For Me. First Dude entering the fray at the Preakness has a merely a 3 week rest. Its seems hardly enough theses days. But who really knows. Here’s the entire field of entries below for the 2010 Belmont Stakes which can be seen 3:00 PM PST on ESPN Coverage begins at 2:00 pm  PST

Looking at the Past Performances I can see right off the bat of the lack of speed in the race. You would think that the fact they’re all going a mile and a half that speed will tire. If there’s 2  front runners maybe but one might be difficult to catch. A closer like ICE BOX who at this writing is currently the 7-5 favorite, and  rightly so. He’s rested and has the best speed figure and ran second in the Derby. The fact that he’s a closer may leave him vulnerable. The only two horses I see on the lead will be First Dude and Interactif. Spangled Star may be part of it as well. Make Music For Me should be sitting 3rd or 4th and one should realize his horrible start in Kentucky. Speaking of horrible starts Stately Victor‘s start in the Derby was bad enough to throw that race out. If you throw out that race he is a serious contender. Here’s my Contenders and Betting Line for the 2010 Belmont Stakes:

Ice Box  5-2 the best of them all

First Dude 7-2 can steal it in front

Stately Victor 5-1 Can only  improve from Blue Grass… Throw out the Ky Derby race

Make Music For Me 6-1 If you Like Ice Box you have to consider this horse

The rest of the  field : 4-1

You can’t like them all… Horses I have to consider not likely are the ones who have been untested against better.. for that reason horses like Dave in Dixie, Spangled Star, Uptowncharleybrown, Flydown, Drosselmeyer, Stay Put, these I feel are a notch below  others in the field who have participated in Grade I events.

Right now it seems that  that First Dude will be near the lead and stall to take it on the front if he stays at 9-1, 6-1 he could be worth the wager. Ice Box right now I see is over bet. Doesn’t mean he won’t win, however he is not worth the short price considering the lack of a speed duel (IMO). If First Dude does tire along with Interactif , Stately Victor might be near at the top of the stretch with Make Music For Me following with Ice Box breathing down his neck. -J Connelly