“Bear Bets” are real wagers that Chris “The Bear” Fallica is actually making.
The Belmont Stakes is finally upon us.
The 158th Belmont Stakes will take place at Saratoga Race Course due to ongoing renovations at the iconic Belmont Park.Â
The post time is set for 7:04 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 6, and the race will be broadcast on FOX.
I fully believe we are in for another memorable weekend. And when it comes to betting on the race, I have you covered.Â
So let’s jump into my betting card and thoughts on this Saturday’s big race.
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1. Vitruvian Man: +3000 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Trainer: Doug ONeill
Jockey: Antonio Fresu
This is the longest shot on the board for a reason. They were nowhere to be found vs. So Happy and Potente in the Santa Anita Derby and will be nowhere to be found here. But a good time will be had by the connections for sure.Â
2. Powershift: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
He ran a huge second to Emerging Market in his debut and then predictably regressed in his second start, which came in the Tampa Bay Derby. A romp to break maiden at even-money Derby weekend has resulted in Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher entering him here. While I dont think he can win, he absolutely affects the flow of the race. Hell be one of just a couple horses â Growth Equity most likely the other â on the lead. The faster the pace, the more it helps Repoles other entrant, ML favorite Renegade. Expect him to hang around for 3/4 or a mile and then get reeled in by the big boys.
3. Chief Wallabee: +300 (bet $10 to win $40 total)
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
I thought this was the best 3YO in the country entering the Derby and a poor trip in the Derby, despite adding blinkers, resulted in a fourth-place finish. I still think this could be a potential monster in the second half of the year, but at some point, hes gotta win. He finished behind Constitution in both starts in Florida. Despite a huge post advantage in the Derby, he finished behind Renegade there. Is there a chance Junior Alvarado has him a bit closer to the lead if the pace turns out soft? He should have a much easier and cleaner trip of it here with only nine horses in the field. But I do worry about whether things dont go perfectly. Is he the type of horse where, each time out, something will go slightly wrong, and it results in another underneath finish? This race will tell a lot about what kind of horse the Chief is now and can become in the future.
4. Renegade:Â +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
He ran the best race in the Derby but just got beat by Golden Tempo. I didnt think he had a chance from the rail, but Irad Ortiz Jr. did an incredible job to work out a trip and get him outside and nearly be the ultimate beneficiary of the pace collapse. Hes the rightful favorite here, but like Golden Tempo, will the likely slower fractions hinder him? I do think he has a quicker turn of foot than Golden Tempo, as we saw in the Arkansas Derby and the Remsen. So he might be a bit more likely to win without the pace meltdown. The jockey and trainer both know how to win this race. Hes got the recent preferred path of Belmont success â run in the Derby, skip the Preakness and then return five weeks later in the Belmont. There are people out th
