Las Vegas, NV -- The biggest race in New York takes place on Saturday with the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes. Even though no Triple Crown will be on the line, there is some excitement for this year's race with Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford both in the race. A field of 12 will be going a mile and a half with post time at approximately 6:35 pm Eastern.
The Belmont Stakes has been a difficult race to predict throughout the years as favorites have flopped.
Animal Kingdom is the 2-1 favorite in horse betting starting from post position nine with Nehro starting from post number six as the second choice at 4-1. Shackleford is listed as the third choice at 9-2 on the morning line but he will start from the outside in post number 12 and that could be a problem since no horse has ever won the Belmont from post number 12. All of the other horses in the field have double-digit odds. The Belmont Stakes has been a difficult race to predict throughout the years as favorites have flopped. The last favorite to win was Afleet Alex in 2005. In the last 21 editions of the Belmont, the favorite has won just four times. This is only the 22nd time in history that the Kentucky Derby winner and the Preakness winner will meet in the Belmont.
Animal Kingdom is the horse to beat but in the Belmont Stakes that really doesn't mean much. Last year Drosselmeyer won at odds of 12-1. Summer Bird won at similar odds two years ago and in 2008 it was Da' Tara shocking everyone at odds of 38-1. In 2004 it was Birdstone winning at odds of 36-1 and in 2002 it was Sarava winning as the biggest longshot winner in Belmont Stakes history at off track betting odds of just over 70-1
The Belmont is a race that can't be handicapped by traditional methods because pedigree is everything. If a horse can't handle the mile and a half distance then nothing else matters. Even though Nehro and Shackleford are the second and third choices in off-track betting, neither has a great pedigree when it comes to going long distances. Some longshot horses do though, including Todd Pletcher's Stay Thirsty who is 20-1 and Monzon who is 30-1.
Here is the full field for Saturday's Belmont Stakes:
Post | Horse | Jockey | ML Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Master of Hounds |
Garrett Gomez |
10-1 |
2 |
Stay Thirsty |
Javier Castellano |
20-1 |
3 |
Ruler On Ice |
Jose Valdivia Jr. |
20-1 |
4 |
Santiva |
Shaun Bridgmohan |
15-1 |
5 |
Brilliant Speed |
Joel Rosario |
15-1 |
6 |
Nehro |
Corey Nakatani |
4-1 |
7 |
Monzon |
Jose Lezcano |
30-1 |
8 |
Prime Cut |
Edgar Prado |
15-1 |
9 |
Animal Kingdom |
John Velazquez |
2-1 |
10 |
Mucho Macho Man |
Ramon Dominguez |
10-1 |
11 |
Isn't He Perfect |
Rajiv Maragh |
30-1 |
12 |
Shackleford |
Jesus Castanon |
9-2 |
Copyright 2011 by OffTrackBetting.com
| Today's Highest Rebate is 12% | |
| Race Tracks | Time (EST) |
| Assiniboia Downs | 8:06 PM |
| Australia A | 10:00 PM |
| Australia B | 10:10 PM |
| Bangor Raceway | 6:01 PM |
| Belmont Park | 12:52 PM |
| Buffalo Raceway | 6:42 PM |
| Cal Expo | 9:00 PM |
| Canterbury Park | 8:06 PM |
| Charles Town | 7:17 PM |
| Chester Downs Harrahs Philly | 12:48 PM |
| Delta Downs | 7:47 PM |
| Emerald Downs | 9:14 PM |
| Evangeline Downs | 6:45 PM |
| Fairmount Park | 8:30 PM |
| Finger Lakes | 12:36 PM |
| Freehold Raceway | 12:37 PM |
| Golden Gate Fields | 4:15 PM |
| Hazel Park | 7:37 PM |
| Hollywood Park | 10:05 PM |
| Indiana Downs (TB) | 6:59 PM |
| Lone Star Park | 7:36 PM |
| Los Alamitos | 10:15 PM |
| Louisiana Downs | 2:27 PM |
| Maywood Park | 8:16 PM |
| Meadowlands (H) | 7:02 PM |
| Mohawk | 7:14 PM |
| Mountaineer Park | 7:01 PM |
| Northfield Park | 7:09 PM |
| Northlands Park (TB) | 8:01 PM |
| Penn National | 6:05 PM |
| Pimlico | 12:02 PM |
| Pocono Downs | 6:35 PM |
| Prairie Meadows (TB) | 7:30 PM |
| Preakness Advance | 10:30 AM |
| Preakness Double | 5:51 PM |
| Preakness Jockey Challenge | |
| Presque Isle | 5:26 PM |
| Remington Park | 7:01 PM |
| Rideau Carleton | 6:30 PM |
| River Downs | 3:03 PM |
| Sam Houston | 8:02 PM |
| Saratoga Harness | 7:11 PM |
| Scarborough Downs | 4:02 PM |
| Scioto Downs | 6:37 PM |
| SunRay Park | 5:04 PM |
| Thistledown | 1:53 PM |
| Tioga Downs | 6:53 PM |
| Vernon Downs | 6:57 PM |
| Woodbine (TB) | 1:06 PM |
| Yonkers Raceway | 7:15 PM |
Our resident handicappers are going head-to-head this week on the Preakness and we're posting both viewpoints below. Take a look and then log in to the Racebook to check our horse racing odds and place your Preakness Stakes wagers.
Welcome to the OTB Free Belmont Park Picks page where you can find free horse racing handicapping picks for Belmont Park race track in Queens, New York! Get Full Card Belmont Selections and Horse Betting Analysis for all Saturday horse races this season at Belmont Park.
The Grade 2 Hendrie Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, May 19th from Woodbine Racetrack. Fillies and mares four years old and upward are featured in this 6 1/2 furlong race as the entries vie for their share of the $150,000 purse on Woodbine’s Polytrack surface.
The Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (formerly known as the Milady Handicap) comes our way from Betfair Hollywood Park this Saturday, May 19th. Fillies three years old and upward will be racing 1 1/16 miles on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $150,000 purse.
The Grade 3 Railbird Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Betfair Hollywood Park. Fillies three years old will go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $100,000 purse.
The Grade 2 Dixie Stakes is on tap for Pimlico this Saturday, May 19th – site of the Preakness Stakes that is to be run later that day. Horses three years old and upward will be after their share of the $300,000 purse when they go 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s turf track.
The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Three year olds will chase the second jewel in the Triple Crown over 1 3/16 miles on Pimlico’s main track. $1 million is on the line for the entries as well as the prestige of winning one of horse racing’s biggest prizes.
OffTrackBetting.com is offering a free contest for a chance to win up to $100 by picking the top 3 finishers (in order) for the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 19th, 2012. Show off your Preakness Stakes Handicapping skills and pick up a free $100.
The Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes comes our way this Friday, May 18th from Pimlico, scene of the Preakness Stakes that will be run Saturday. Three year old fillies will race 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s main track in search of their share of the $300,000 purse.
The one-time Grade 1 Pimlico Special Stakes returns this Friday May 18th to Pimlico after a brief three year hiatus. Now a Grade 3 event, horses three years old and upward will go 1 3/16 miles in search of their share of the 300,000 purse.
Pletcher pair takes aim at 7-5 Favorite Mamma Kimbo in Grade 2 Test For Three-Year Old Fillies. On the one hand, trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for redemption. On the other, it’s all about progression. Pletcher will saddle both Disposablepleasure and In Lingerie in the 88th renewal of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
The 137th running of the Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, May 19 at Pimlico, with Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another looking to win the second leg in horse racing’s Triple Crown. As we get ready for Preakness betting, let’s consider the post position history, prices and trainers to keep an eye on.
Bet on the 2012 Preakness Stakes at OffTrackBetting.com - The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is the the second leg of the US Triple Crown, and each year, on the 3rd Sunday in May, thousands of horse racing fans gather at legendary Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland to experience one of sport's most amazing events.
One of the best months of the season in horse racing is the month of May as the race for the Triple Crown begins. At OffTrackBetting.com you can place bets on the Preakness Stakes, which is held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, along with the Belmont Stakes.
UP TO $150 IN REWARDS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. OTB will give $100 for horseplayers setting up an account and placing wagers totaling $300. This is a special bonus for new customers only and is subject to terms and conditions.
Off Track Betting (OTB) is fully licensed and regulated for horse betting in the United States by the North Dakota Racing Commission. Read More >>

Off Track Betting is proud to work with and support NDAD, the North Dakota Association for the Disabled. Read More >>