2014 Belmont Stakes Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Vegas Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

2014 Belmont Stakes Odds, Free Picks and Predictions: Vegas Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers: All eyes will be on Belmont Park in New York this Saturday as California Chrome tries to make history and become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Of course, winning the Belmont and completing the Triple Crown is easier said than done, and in the 35 years since Affirmed accomplished the feat, 12 horses have headed to the Belmont with a shot at making history, only to come up short. Coming up short is an appropriate theme for the Belmont, considering the race’s 1 1/2-mile distance is the longest of the three Triple Crown races and is notorious for challenging the endurance and stamina of even the best horses. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the horses that could have what it takes to tackle the Belmont this weekend.

The Favorite

After winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown in convincing fashion, California Chrome has to be considered the favorite at the Belmont, especially since he was approved to use the nasal strip that he has been using all year. Granted, the distance of the Belmont is always a wild card, but the horse enters Saturday’s race on a six-race winning streak and hasn’t lost since Victor Espinoza became his jockey. His winning streak has come on different surfaces and different distances, and while the Belmont is the longest race California Chrome will have run, the same can be said for every other horse in the field. His closing burst has been too much for the competition thus far, and as long as California Chrome gets out of the gate in good shape, he has a great chance to make history.

Top Challengers

After winning the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, Wicked Strong was expected to be a major player in the Kentucky Derby. However, he got stuck in the back of the field early in the race and expended all of his energy charging up to fourth. With only 11 horses in the Belmont field this weekend, getting trapped shouldn’t be an issue. As a result, the horse should have a lot more energy left for the stretch run, which wasn’t the case at Churchill Downs. Meanwhile, Wicked Strong sat out the Preakness so he should be a little fresher overall from that standpoint, as well. After disappointing in the Kentucky Derby, Wicked Strong could make amends in the Belmont.

Although he struggled in the Kentucky Derby, Ride on Curlin rebounded by coming within two lengths of winning the Preakness. More importantly, the horse showed an excellent closing burst at Pimlico, and had the race been much longer, he had a legit chance to run down California Chrome. Well, horse races don’t get longer than the Belmont, and if Ride on Curlin shows the same type of closing burst, he should be in great shape Saturday. To top it off, a jockey change has two-time Belmont winner John Velazquez guiding the horse this weekend.

With California Chrome dominating the Kentucky Derby, it was easy to miss the performance put on by runner-up Commanding Curve. The horse was a longshot to win at Churchill Downs, but he tore through the field late in the race to finish second. In the Kentucky Derby, Commanding Curve got stronger and stronger as the race went on, and that type of endurance should serve him well at a lengthy race like the Belmont. The horse is well rested after skipping the Preakness, and he could outlast the competition this weekend.

Sleeper Special

He is a total wild card this weekend, but Tonalist is definitely an intriguing wild card. On one hand, he only has four career starts under his belt, and none of those starts have come in Grade 1 events. On the flip side, missing the first two legs of the Triple Crown also means that Tonalist is well rested for Saturday’s race. Meanwhile, the horse won the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park earlier in the year. Having experience with the track’s surface and surroundings could prove to be an X-factor for Tonalist.

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