Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure could set the pace again at Saturday’s 2023 Belmont Stakes but will face a stronger field and longer distance. National Treasure, coached by Bob Baffert, sits at 5-1 at the 2023 Belmont Stakes odds, behind Forte (5-2), Tapit Trice (3-1), and Angel of Empire (7-2). Peter Pan Stakes winner Arcangelo is 8-1 under the 2023 Belmont Stakes horses in a nine-horse 2023 Belmont Stakes field. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is responsible for the top two horses in the 2023 Belmont Stakes, Forte and Tapit Trice, responsible, but should you back one of them with your bets at the 2023 Belmont Stakes?
The release time for the 2023 Belmont Stakes is 7:02 PM ET. Before you start making predictions for the 2023 Belmont Stakes, check out Elite Horse Racing Handicapper Jody Demling’s 2023 Belmont Stakes tips and analysis.
Demling, a fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing, talking and betting on races for years, took home the winner, trifecta and superfecta at the 2023 Preakness Stakes. Demling also competes in the 2023 Belmont Stakes , having crowned the winner of the last Triple Crown race in four of the last five years, including an Exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest. He also named Flightline’s win at the Breeders’ Cup Classic last November.
In addition, he has beaten 10 of the last 15 Derby Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he’s had a ticket to the winners of both races in all but five of the last 15 attempts. Everyone who followed him in these races experienced tremendous success.
As the 2023 Belmont Stakes draws closer, Demling is sharing his tips and predictions at SportsLine. Click here to see them.
2023 Belmont Stakes Predictions for Tapit Trice, Angel of Empire, Forte, National Treasure
A surprise: Demling leaves Tapit Trice behind, despite being one of the top favorites at 3-1. The Blue Grass Stakes winner started the Kentucky Derby as second favorite but struggled against a fast initial pace and was unable to mount a serious attack down the stretch.
Saturday’s race at Belmont Park could be similar as the majority of the horses in the 2023 Belmont Stakes line-up prefer to get off the pace. While sire Tapit has produced four Belmont winners, Tapit Trice’s penchant for slow starts could prove costly in the fight for the top spot. See here who else you can support.
Demling also made his 2023 Belmont Stakes picks for Angel of Empire, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby. He leads three runners for trainer Brad Cox, who also owns Hit Show and Tapit Shoes. Angel of Empire won the Arkansas Derby before finishing third as a favorite in the Kentucky Derby.
Angel of Empire has four wins over the course of his career and has only once finished outside the top three. Angel of Empire picked up third place from outside the top 15 as favorites at Churchill Downs, establishing a strong position for the final leg of the Triple Crown horse race. Watch Demling’s prediction for Angel of Empire here.
National Treasure was expected to trail his stablemates (5-1) as a two-year-old, but coach Bob Baffert wasn’t concerned. Last fall, Baffert said National Treasure would be a “really nice horse” by spring, and he had just the thing. National Treasure upset Kentucky Derby favorite Mage by winning the Preakness Stakes by a margin.
Since Red Route One is the only other Preakness horse in the 2023 Belmont Stakes field, that means only one other Belmont horse has attempted a race longer than 1 1/8 miles. That could be an advantage for National Treasure, who has proven he can last more than 1 1/8 miles when almost everyone else hasn’t. View Demling’s prediction for National Treasure here.
Forte, who started the Triple Crown season with perhaps more fanfare than any other horse, will return at the 2023 Belmont Stakes. He was the morning favorite in the Kentucky Derby before suffering a hoof injury on race day. That injury put him on a 14-day vet ban list, which also kept him out of the Preakness Stakes.
He is the 5-2 favorite and was seeded 6th in Tuesday’s 2023 Belmont Stakes draw. His five-race winning streak is the reason for his status as a favourite, but now he has to prove that the injury hasn’t affected his training or overall speed. He hasn’t competed since his Florida Derby win on April 1, so rust could be a factor as Forte tries to salvage what appears to be an elite season for the three-year-olds. Check out Demling’s forecast for Forte here.
How to meet Belmont Stakes 2023 tips and bets
Demling is also up there on a double-digit longshot who “made a good impression on his return to the circuit”. Anyone who bets on this horse could have great success. Demling shares with SportsLine which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard.
Who will win the 2023 Belmont Stakes? And which big double-digit longshot is a must? Check out the latest 2023 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling’s 2023 Belmont Stakes picks, all from the expert who found the winner, trifecta, superfecta and four of the latter at preakness named five Belmont winners.