2023 Belmont Stakes Betting Favorites, Dark Horses & Longshots

By Hank Blaine • June 8, 2023

The 2023 Preakness field is set. Unlike the Kentucky Derby, where nineteen horses broke from the gate, only eight will run around the Pimlico track on Saturday. Among the eight, Mage, the Derby winner, projects as the chalk. Grade 3 Lexington Stakes winner First Mission will attract some play and so will Bob Baffert trained National Treasure. Keep reading for the favorites, the dark horses, and the longshots for the 2023 Preakness Stakes.

2023 Belmont Stakes Race Info

The Field for the 2023 Belmont Stakes pic.twitter.com/L9Mruyv2He
— Daily Racing Form (@DailyRacingForm) June 6, 2023

When: Saturday, June 10, 2023. 6:10 pm EST
Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, NY
TV/Streaming: Peacock
Distance & Surface: 1 ½ miles (12 furlongs) on dirt

2023 Belmont Stakes Entry List

Tapit Shoes +2000
Tapit Trice +300
Arcangelo +800
National Treasure +500
Il Miracolo +3000
Forte +250
Hit Show +1000
Angel of Empire +350
Red Route One +1500

2023 Belmont Stakes Favorites

Forte +250
Tapit Trice +300
Angel of Empire +350

There are big time questions surrounding the +250 morning line favorite. When Forte breaks from the Belmont Stakes starting gate, it will be Forte’s first race since April 1. Trying to win off a 9 ½ week layoff is tough. Trying to win a 1 ½ mile race off a 9 ½ week layoff feels impossible.

Tapit Trice has the breeding and training to win the event. But Trice may have peaked when winning the Bluegrass. The Derby run was a disaster, and it happened five weeks ago. The second choice could be over the top and might need a freshening after already having run four races this year.

Brad Cox trained Angel of Empire is a legit favorite. If not for having to go 7-wide on the final turn at Churchill Downs, Angel would have beaten Mage and won the roses. The Derby third place finisher is the best bet among the favorites.

2023 Belmont Stakes Dark Horses

National Treasure +500
Arcangelo +800
Hit Show +1000

National Treasure got an easy lead over a speed-favoring track at Pimlico, which explains how the Bob Baffert runner won the Preakness Stakes. National won’t get the same set-up on Saturday. In fact, fellow front-runner Tapit Shoes should have more in the tank as they turn for home.

Among the dark horses, Arcangelo looks best. The Jenna Antonucci charge chased soft fractions in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes going 1 1/8 miles over the Belmont dirt before overtaking a great horse in Bishop’s Bay for the win. Arcangelo should close into a strong pace on Saturday. Consider for sure.

Hit Show was closest to a brutal pace in the Kentucky Derby. Another Cox three-year-old, Hit Show, made a nice move around the final turn, but couldn’t sustain the move. If the pace is fair, Hit Show could be tough to keep from the winner’s circle.

2023 Belmont Stakes Longshots

Red Route One +1500
Tapit Shoes +2000
Il Miracolo +3000

Il Miracolo is a throw out. Massive underdogs have won the Belmont Stakes in the past. But this is a quality field. Miracolo would have to run a lifetime best and hope the three favorites and three dark horses all bomb.

Red Route One didn’t look comfortable in the Preakness. If Steve Asmussen has trained the usual closer to relax, Red Route could surprise. So we must consider.

Tapit sired Tapit Shoes. Tapit has sired four Belmont Stakes winners. So if Johnny V. pulls National Treasure off the pace, for sure the third Cox runner in the race could get it done on the front end.

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