Belmont Stakes: Mo Donegal can win his return to New York

There is no more exciting betting opportunity in New York than betting the Belmont Stakes!

Though there is no Triple Crown at stake this year, there is still a thrilling story in the form of Rich Strike, who will try to prove that his 80-1 Kentucky Derby shocker was no fluke. And, with a far shorter price on him in New York, that could lead to excellent Belmont betting odds on several horses in the field.

Keep reading to find out the best places to bet the Belmont online in New York.

Where to Bet the Belmont

The best horse betting sites all offer trusted money management features and easy user interfaces, and they all offer great bonuses as well. Those benefits include sign-up and deposit bonuses, rebates, and referral incentives. Our experts can help you choose the one that is most profitable for your betting style, so you can make the most of your Belmont betting dollars.

#	Site	DEPOSIT BONUS AND CASH BACK		SITE LINK
#1		50% up to $1,000 + $25 Risk Free Bet + 7% Rebates		BET!
#2		$250 Free Bet on Props + Head-to-Heads		BET!
#3		Up to 13% Weekly Loyalty Rewards		BET!
#4		20% Referral Bonus, up to $200		BET!
#5		$100 Free Bet on Props + Head-to-Heads!		BET!
#6		9% Daily Cash Rebates on Exotics		BET!
#7		100% Sign Up Bonus - Up to $1,000		BET!

Belmont Stakes Horses

These are the official entrants for the 2022 Belmont Stakes, along with their post positions, trainers, jockeys, and morning line odds:

1. We the People (Rodolphe Brisset/Flavien Prat) - 2/1
2. Skippylongstocking (Saffie Joseph, Jr./Manuel Franco) - 20/1
3. Nest (Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz) - 8/1
4. Rich Strike (Eric Reed/Sonny Leon) - 7/2
5. Creative Minister (Ken McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.) - 6/1
6. Mo Donegal (Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz, Jr.) - 5/2
7. Golden Glider (Mark Casse/Dyland Davis) - 20/1
8. Barber Road (John Ortiz/Joel Rosario) - 10/1

However, that morning line is merely the track’s best guess as to how the betting will happen. As you consider the horses and plan to bet Belmont Park’s biggest race, your best bet is to sign up for one or more of the top online sportsbooks. They offer fixed-odds betting, meaning you can guarantee yourself the best odds the moment you bet.

Horses
We the People	+200	+200	TBA
Mo Donegal	+250	+250	TBA
Rich Strike	+350	+400	TBA
Creative Minister	+600	+650	TBA
Nest	+800	+800	TBA
Barber Road	+1000	+1200	TBA

Belmont Stakes Handicapping

Seeing the horses and their odds only makes part of the picture. Before choosing who to bet, you need to learn about the race, the track, and the connections.

Tips for Picking Winners at Belmont 

Belmont Park is unique. Most of the tracks around the United States are a lot shorter, which many of the major tracks only being a mile or a mile and an eighth around. A full circuit of the Belmont dirt is a mile and a half, and it takes both knowledge and finesse to give a horse a good ride while leaving enough energy to finish well.

Experienced jockeys at Belmont Park tend to ride this unique track better. Note that the three current leading jockeys at Belmont Park all have mounts in the Belmont Stakes: Dylan Davis will ride Golden Glider, Irad Ortiz partners with Mo Donegal, and Manny Franco takes the call on Skippylongstocking.

Looking at the trainers who have horses in the Belmont Stakes, Todd Pletcher does well at New York tracks year in and year out. He has a pair in the 2022 Belmont Stakes, Mo Donegal and the filly Nest. Pletcher has won the Belmont three times, including with filly Rags to Riches, who nosed out Nest’s own sire Curlin in 2007.

Belmont Stakes Contenders

The best bet for the 2022 Belmont Stakes is Mo Donegal. He has an appealing pedigree for the Belmont distance, and he is already a winner over the Belmont course. He also has strong Belmont rider Irad Ortiz in the saddle. Though he has been closing from far off the pace recently, which is not a running style that will suit this race, earlier races suggest he has the more tactical dimension that can win.

We the People, winner of the Peter Pan (G3) over this course, will likely set the Belmont pace. This gives him an advantage, but there are downsides. He cedes experience to other horses in the race, and has yet to prove he is a Grade 1 horse yet. He also has some pedigree questions since his dam-side relatives tend to prefer going significantly shorter than this.

Nest, Mo Donegal’s stablemate in the barn of three-time Belmont-winning trainer Todd Pletcher, has a good claim as well. Though she needs to improve from her Kentucky Oaks second, she has good breeding for the Belmont distance. Like her stablemate, she also has earlier races that have her closer to the pace than she has been lately. At a price, she could be a spoiler.

Speaking of spoilers, Rich Strike will be nowhere near his 80-1 Kentucky Derby price. The lack of early pace in the Belmont this year meaning his closing style will put him at a disadvantage. Given his current form and his distance pedigree, though, it would not be a surprise to see him invade the lowest rungs of exotics.

Belmont Stakes Longshot

Barber Road has yet to win a stakes race, but he keeps showing up against quality horses. Though his sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby came as a deep closer, earlier races have him sitting significantly closer to the pace. That dimension should help him capture yet another underneath share in the Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Day Wagering

At Belmont Park you can wager on many of the same wagers that you get all over the country. You can bet to win, meaning the horse must run first. You can bet to place, meaning the horse must run first or second. A show bet means the horse must run first, second, or third. Across the board means betting a horse to win, place, or show.

You can also chase higher payouts with exotic wagers. An exacta requires picking the first two horses in order, the trifecta the first three in order, superfecta the first four. Boxing these wagers costs more, but ensures you have every order covered, so your horses can finish in any order.

You can also pick winners in multiple races. A Daily Double requires you to pick the winners of two races in a row. A Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5 require you to pick winners of 3, 4, and 5 races in a row. The Empire 6, a $1 minimum Pick 6, makes you pick six winners in a row: every race from the Jaipur through the Belmont.

Finally, New York Racing Association racetracks also offer the unique Grand Slam bet. Offered in races 7 through 10 on Belmont Day, your horse has to finish first, second, or third in the first three legs, and then win the final leg.

Belmont Stakes Bets

Now that you know all about the race, the horses, and the wagers, it’s time to bet the Belmont! Here are the best bets for the 2022 Belmont Stakes:

• $20 to win - #6 Mo Donegal
• $1 exacta key - #6 Mo Donegal with #1 We the People, #3 Nest
• $1 trifecta key - #6 Mo Donegal with #1 We the People, #3 Nest, #8 Barber Road
• 20 cent superfecta key - #6 Mo Donegal with #1 We the People, #3 Nest, #4 Rich Strike, #8 Barber Road