Belmont Stakes horses 2024: Fast facts, betting tips, predictions for final Triple Crown race | Sporting News

The 2024 Belmont Stakes (Saturday, 6:41 ET post time, NBC and Peacock) is an opportunity for one of two horses to win two legs of the Triple Crown racing season. It’s not often that both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness States champion thoroughbreds are in the field for the final jewel, but Mystik Dan and Seize The Gray can make this their rubber match.

Mystik Dan and Seize The Grey are trying to join 52 previous horses who have won two legs. But only 11 horses have won the Derby and Belmont and only 13 horses have won the Preakness and the Belmont.

Will a familiar horse win another jewel? Or will it be three winners in three Triple Crown races again this season? Here’s breaking down the field 

MORE: Complete schedule of races for Belmont weekend at Saratoga

Belmont Stakes horses 2024

Here are the official morning line odds for the 2024 Belmont Stakes field, set by the Belmont Park oddsmakers. They will be updated as needed before Saturday’s race:

MORE: A quick guide to betting on horse racing

What are Mystik Dan’s chances after winning the Kentucky Derby?

Mystik Dan won the Derby by a nose and faded to second behind Seize The Grey at the Preakness. He has felt comfortable with multiple competitors in this field and has build on exceeding Triple Crwn expectations. It’s difficult to see Mystik Dan fading too hard out of contention after the consistency so far. It also helps the race has been shortened to the Derby length of 1 1/4 with the change of venue from Belmont Park.

MORE: Breaking down Mystik Dan vs. Sierra Leone and field for Belmont

What are Seize The Grey’s chances after winning the Preakness Stakes?

Seize The Grey is helped by some experience at Saratoga, having won the Maiden Special Weight as an entry last July 23. Before winning the Preakness at Pimlico on May 18, he also had a victory in the Pat Day Mile S. before the Derby on May 4.

Seize the Grey has a little more momentum than Mystik Dan and also came up with the most recent victory against him. The trick is being able to handle a little longer race from the Prakness, going back up to 1 1/1/4 mile vs. 1 3/16 mile.

What other 2024 Belmont contenders have the best track records?

1. Sierra Leone

He got nipped by Mystik Dan at the Derby so there should be motivation to turn the tables back in the same field. Sierra Leone had three solid wins and a place before coming in second at the Derby. Skipping the Preakness also gives him som fresher legs.

2. Mindframe

Mindframe also won at Churchill Downs on May 4, in the Alliance Optional Claiming, matching the first-place results for Mystik Dan and Seize The Grey. In his only other race, Mindframe also finished first at Gulfstream. He is rested and ready to keep rising for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortz Jr.

Which trainers can you trust most at Belmont?

1. Todd Pletcher

Pletcher’s training has paid off well in Belmont’s long game so it far well at the shorter distance, too. Going back to his breakout with Rags to Riches in 2007, he has four victories in the race. He was behind Mo Donegal’s win in 2022, building on Palace Malice in 2013 and Tapwrit in 2017. Last season, Pletcher horses Forte and Tapit Trice finished 2-3 behind surprise runner Arcangelo. 

This helps Mindframe plenty. Pletcher also is the trainer for tw more entries, Antiquarian and Protective.

2. D. Wayne Lukas

The training legend earned his seventh Preakness victory with Seize the Grey, a span stretching from 1980-2024. Now the 88-year-old is hoping that same horse can deliver on his fifth Belmont Stake victory and first since 2000.

3. Kenneth McPeek

Mystik Dan in 2024 completed McPeek’s career Triple Crown. He won the Belmont 22 years ago in 2002 with Sarava and also rode Swiss Skydiver to Preakness victory just in 2020.

Which jockeys can you trust most at Belmont?

1. Irad Ortiz Jr.

Ortiz is looking for his own triple as he rode Mo Donegal to victory in 2022, following up his fine winning work with Creator on the outside in a more crowded field in 2016. He came up just short in second with Forte last year. He always has felt most comfortable riding at Belmont among the jewels, but will the change in venue affect that?

2. Luis Saez

Tapit Trice finished third with him aboard in 2023 behind Arcangelo and Fortze. Like Ortiz, Saez’s only winning experience in the Triple Crown has come at Belmont, with Essential Quality for Brad H. Cox in 2021. This time Saez will give it a shot with Dornoch, who finished 10th in the Derby.

3. Manuel Franco

The jockey for Wine Steward also is a key recent Belmont winner, riding Tiz the Law to victory in 2020.

Which horse is the best longshot pick to win the 2024 Belmont?

The Wine Steward (15-1)

Among his three wins from 2023 were great results at Saratoga and Belmont,  This year, his three recent second-place finishes have come at Keeneland and Belmont Park at the Big A. This New York-bred horse will try to ride a home-state advantage while working on the No. 4 post right next to Mystik Dan.

Which Belmont Stakes post positions have been the most advantageous? 

Two of the past four winners  — Mo Donegal (No. 6) last year and Tiz the Law (No. 8) in 2020 — were anomalous to the most popular winning positions. Here’s breaking down the six posts that have produced the highest number of Belmont champions:

No. 1 (24 winners): Justify completed its Triple Crown from here in 2018. It’s notable, however, that he ended a 14-year drought since Empire Maker won the Belmont in 2004. Seize The Grey and Lukas will hope deep, rich history helps.

No. 3 (16 winners): There have been recent back-to-back winners here with Ruler on Ice in 2011 and Union Rags in 2012. Arcangelo returned this post to glory in 2023. Now Mystik Dan will give it a shot.

No. 5 (15 winners): American Pharoah represented this position while completing the Triple Crown in 2015. Antiquarian will try to tap more into this.

No. 2 (13 winners): Essential Quality came through from the second spot in 2021 and another recent winner, Tapwrit, did the same in 2017. Resilience will need to show much of its name to add to this list.

No. 7 (12 winners): Sir Winston last added to this list in 2019. Before that Drosselmeyer won the Belmont in 2010 and Rags to Riches took it in 2007. This gives Pletcher a shot again with Protective.

No. 4 (9 winners): It’s been while here with Summer Bird last winning in 2009 and likewise Birdstone in 2004. That’s the history The Wine Steward will be battling.

No. 9, the next-to-last post in this year’s race occupied by Sierra Leone, has produced only three winners since 1998 while the lone modern winner from No. 10, from where Mindframe will start, was Thunder Gulch in 1995.

What’s weather like for the 2024 Belmont Stakes?

There are some scattered showers forecasted for Saratoga Springs on Friday, but race day looks fantastic on Saturday. There is a projected high in the upper 60s with that temperature peaking at post time in the early evening.

Belmont Stakes 2024 picks

Seize The Grey has been building up well to this moment, while Mystik Dan might be set to wear out and Sierra Leone may be a bit rusty to make amends for the Derby. Lukas gets to seize another jewel to add to his lore.