RacingBetter News
	Wednesday 7th June 2023

Meet the Top Contenders for the 2023 Belmont Stakes

As unfortunate as it is, there will be no Triple Crown winner this year, as Mage finished third during the Preakness Stakes back in Baltimore. Bob Baffert-trained National Treasure won the Preakness Stakes. However, that doesn’t mean that the hype is over.

The Belmont Stakes is right around the corner, and many big names will be there. If you’re not acquainted with the contenders just yet, then you’re in luck because this article will talk about the Belmont Stakes contenders that will put on a good show this June 10. Let’s get to know them.

Forte

Forte was a huge favorite in the 2023 Kentucky Derby, and there’s a good reason. All of the races Forte participated in leading up to the Kentucky Derby were good shows, with Forte leading almost all. This is why no Forte was found when the Preakness Stakes rolled around, and many stunned people voiced their opinions.

This is because, unfortunately, Forte was hit with a minor foot injury. However, for the days leading to the Belmont Stakes, Forte was back in training and was seemingly in good shape. But it’s still a contention whether Forte will take its place on the Belmont Stakes and race again.

However, because of the recent injuries, many people wonder whether Forte can go through the race with others seemingly up for the distance. But with all that said, if he does take a spot on the race, it’s most likely that Forte will be the likely chalk in Belmont betting just based on his past races alone.

Tapit Trice

Tapit Trice was also a huge favorite in the Kentucky Derby this year. This is because the colt entered the Kentucky Derby with an impressive four-race winning streak. However, in May, Trice dominated and finished seventh in the race. Many experts say it’s most likely due to the lack of experience, especially against grade-A opponents.

That said, Trice sat out the Preakness and is looking to try again in the Belmont Stakes. Todd Pletcher trains Trice, so there’s surely a huge potential on this horse. However, most of the bettors think otherwise.

National Treasure

Bob Baffert is still banned from the Kentucky Derby, but that didn’t stop him from entering the Preakness with this horse, National Treasure. National Treasure was a huge favorite in the Preakness Stakes earlier this year, and he didn’t disappoint. National Treasure went head to head with Blazing Sevens towards the finish line, making the crowd go crazy.

It was a spectacular race, which National Treasure won deservingly. This makes the experts think National Treasure has the stamina to finish strong in the Belmont Stakes. It’s most likely that Bob Baffert’s team will show up again with National Treasure later this week.

Angel of Empire

Angel of Empire was a popular bet back in the Kentucky Derby, and there’s a good reason why. Angel of Empire has all the attributes of a Belmont Stakes winner. He beat the Kentucky Derby favorite runner-up, Two Phils, in a previous race before running up and finishing third in this year’s Kentucky Derby, just finishing after Mage and Two Phils.

The horse had a troubled run that day, seemingly not in the right mindset to race. However, if Angel of Empire had taken several strides, he would’ve won the Kentucky Derby. At least, that’s what the experts say.

Brad Cox nurtured Angel of Empire for years, especially during the first phases of his career. He ran him first over sprint distances and moved on to stretching the horse down a mile for subsequent runs. Angel of Empire seemed to like the stretched-out distances that the Kentucky Derby had, so seeing him race in the Belmont Stakes is pretty exciting.

Arabian Lion

Bob Baffert created headlines in the Preakness Stakes this year with National Treasure by winning the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Furthermore, it’s most probable that he is going for the second win in the Belmont Stakes. However, Bob Baffert is also chasing another win with Arabian Lion, son of Justify, which won in 2018. Arabian Lion had a big reputation, which meant a lot of expectations because of his lineage.

That said, he did a dominant finish in the Preakness Stakes, and although he didn’t win, he had an impressive run. Experts think that the Preakness Stakes is just a tune-up race, and the horse will do even better at the Belmont Stakes. This son of Justify is seemingly going to reach his peak, and it’s only a matter of time until we can say this is true.

Final Words

The Belmont Stakes is just right around the corner, and there are many things we have to look out for. The race would be pretty interesting, given that the contenders are set out to win, and each has great potential and chances of winning the race. It will be exciting to see which of them will win the race, and it’s just a matter of time until we know the winner. With all that said, see you there.