Belmont Betting – Borel on the Rail
Thursday, June 03, 2010
by BetUS.com
Favorite Ice Box starts in the middle; First Dude gets an outside post
To some who bet on horse racing, it would seem fitting that Calvin Borel, who guided Mine That Bird to that amazing Kentucky Derby win last year, and piloted Super Saver to the Roses last month, would get to sit on the rail in another Triple Crown race, and now he has that chance in the Belmont Stakes.
Borel's horse, Dave in Dixie, drew the #1 spot at the post-position draw that was held at Belmont Park on Wednesday morning, a process that placed Ice Box, the betting favorite at +300, in the middle of the field; and First Dude, who had a tremendous run from the #11 post in the Preakness, back to that same place..
Belmont Stakes
Saturday, June 5 - 6:32 PM ET
Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
Belmont Betting Odds to Win
(With post positions reflected)
1 Dave in Dixie +2000
2 Spangled Star +3000
3 Uptowncharlybrown +1000
4 Make Music for Me +900
5 Fly Down +450
6 Ice Box +300
7 Drosselmeyer +1200
8 Game On Dude +900
9 Stately Victor +1400
10 Stay Put +2000
11 First Dude +350
12 Interactif +1200
To most observers, Dave in Dixie, who is +2000 in the Belmont Stakes betting line, doesn't have the talent to take advantage of Borel's artistry. He has raced only once on dirt, in the Grade II Illinois Derby on April 3, and was trounced by 16 lengths.
First Dude (+350 in the BetUS Sportsbook) shows early speed and may not be affected by breaking from the #11 post, as it was from that same position that he charged to the lead at the Preakness three weeks ago and stayed at or near the lead almost to the end. Ultimately he was beaten three-quarters of a length by Lookin At Lucky.
Interactif, who'll be ridden for the first time by Javier Castellano, has the #12 post on the far outside. This is the horse that has raced primarily on turf and synthetic surfaces, and indeed was set to run in a stakes race on grass on Friday, until trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver, changed his mind and made this son of Broken View the last horse in to round it out at an even dozen. He is currently listed as a +1200 betting choice to win on Saturday.
Fly Down, the Nick Zito-trained horse that proved so dominant in the Dwyer Stakes on May 8 from the #7 gate, drew the #5 position for the Belmont, and a lot of people are looking for this late runner to really hit his stride at the mile and a half distance. He is +450 in the Belmont Stakes betting at the moment.
Of course, it is the other Zito horse that is getting the most attention of this field. Ice Box came on like gangbusters to win the Florida Derby by a nose, then exhibited some incredible deep closing skill in thundering down the stretch to get second place at the Kentucky Derby.
Zito held him out of the Preakness, and many bettors are naturally expecting him to project that late speed to success in the Belmont, to the point where he is +300 in the Belmont Stakes line. Ice Box gets the #6 post, flanked by Fly Down and Drosselmeyer (+1200 in Belmont betting).
Dave in Dixie is not the only longshot with a nice post position. Spangled Star, which has only a maiden special win to his credit but has been bred to run this distance, has the longest betting odds in this field at +3000. With the #2 post position, however, there could be an opportunity to save ground and energy under jockey Garrett Gomez as he tries to hang near the pace.
Uptowncharlybrown, which gave a spirited effort in the Lexington Stakes last time out, starts from the #3 post and will be saddled by a new trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, who has taken over after the unexpected death of Alan Seewald. For a runner whose only wins were in a maiden race and an ungraded stakes, he is getting respect in the betting, at +1000 odds.
Game On Dude (+1000 in the Belmont betting), who numbers Joe Torre as one of his owners, will start in #8, next to Stately Victor, the surprise Blue Grass Stakes winner who is half-owned by Kentucky attorney general Jack Conway, who is #9 and is currently at +1500.
Next over is the #10 gate occupied by Stay Put (+2000), who has yet to win a stakes race. Make Music for Me, saddled by Alexis Barba, who is trying to become the first female trainer to win the Belmont, will start #4 and is listed at +1000 in the betting odds.
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belmont stakes - bet on horse racing - dave in dixie - first dude - fly down - ice box - kentucky derby - super saver - uptowncharlybrown
