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Mo Donegal Beats Nest to Win 2022 Belmont Stakes over Derby Winner Rich Strike

Jun 11, 2022
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 02: Mo Donegal during the morning training for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 02, 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 02: Mo Donegal during the morning training for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 02, 2022 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Mo Donegal took down the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday from Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Mo Donegal won by three lengths over second-place finisher and filly Nest, cementing a great day for numerous people.

That included Mike Repole, the Queens, New York native who has part-ownership stakes in both Mo Donegal and Nest.

Tim Layden of NBC Sports provided more details:

Todd Pletcher trained both horses. Irad Ortiz Jr. was the winning jockey, and Jose Ortiz finished second with Nest.

Here's a look at the payouts, order of finish and some notes on the field.

Payouts and Order of Finish

1. Mo Donegal: Win ($7.20), Place ($3.80), Show ($3.00)

2. Nest: Place ($5.30), Show ($4.10)

3. Skippylongstocking: Show ($5.60)

4. We the People

5. Creative Minister

6. Rich Strike

7. Barber Road

8. Golden Glider

Source: NBC broadcast

Notes

Mo Donegal, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, is a three-time winner who took down the Wood Memorial last April, beating eventual Preakness Stakes victor Early Voting and fellow Belmont competitor Skippylongstocking.

The latter horse has 11 races under his belt, including two wins and a fifth-place showing in the Preakness.

Nest, a three-year-old filly, won four of her six races leading into the Belmont. She took second in the Kentucky Oaks behind Secret Oath.

The Triple Crown wasn't on the line, but Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike did take part in the Belmont. Rich Strike pulled off one of the biggest upsets in horse racing history at the Derby a month ago, as the late addition took down the field as an 80-1 underdog.

Rich Strike did not participate in the Preakness Stakes, using that time to rest.

Saturday wasn't Rich Strike's day, as he fell behind the pack early and couldn't make up the ground.

Barber Road finished second or third in each of his last five races leading to the Kentucky Derby, including second at the Arkansas Derby in April. He finished sixth at Churchill Downs.

We the People, who is owned by celebrity chef and restauranteur Bobby Flay, came into Belmont as a heavy favorite but could not crack the top three on this day.

The three-year-old has won three of his five races, including a victory in the Peter Pan Stakes over Golden Glider, who has won two of his seven races and finished top five in all of them but this year's Belmont.

Creative Minister was one of just two horses with a top-three finish at a Triple Crown event racing in the Belmont this year. The three-year-old finished third in the Preakness behind Early Voting and Epicenter. He has won two of his five races.

Belmont Stakes Results 2022: Video Replay of Mo Donegal's Race at Elmont

Jun 11, 2022
Mo Donegal (6), with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. up, crosses the finish line to win the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 11, 2022, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Mo Donegal (6), with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. up, crosses the finish line to win the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 11, 2022, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

After having a massive upset winner in the Kentucky Derby, things returned to normal in the 2022 Belmont Stakes with betting favorite Mo Donegal getting the biggest win of his career.

Coming into the race with 7-2 odds (bet $200 to win $700), jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took a conservative approach with Mo Donegal before turning him loose. The horse came out of the gate slow, sitting in sixth coming around the first turn.

There wasn't much turnover on the leaderboard throughout the race. We the People was in the top spot most of the way, followed by Skippylongstocking and Nest.

Mo Donegal settled in at fourth place at the ¾-mile marker. Ortiz kicked things into gear with the horse down the final stretch for the win.

Mo Donegal finished fifth at Churchill Downs five weeks ago. He was 3¾ lengths behind Rich Strike.

Despite not making the board at the Kentucky Derby, Thomas Casale of the Action Network explained why the three-year-old colt deserved his status as the favorite for this race:

"Mo Donegal loves New York, nipping Preakness winner Early Voting in the Wood Memorial, beating Zandon in the Remsen Stakes and breaking his maiden at Belmont. He’s rested and his hard-charging style is a perfect fit for this track," Casale said.

Rich Strike and Mo Donegal were the only horses that finished in the top five at the Kentucky Derby who competed at the Belmont Stakes. Rich Strike, who pulled off the second-biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history, finished sixth in the eight-horse field at Belmont Park.

Neither horse participated in the Preakness Stakes on May 21. Early Voting, coming off a win at Pimlico, sat out the Belmont. Ortiz had a nice rebound performance after riding Armagnac to a seventh-place finish three weeks ago.

The Donegal Racing horse earned his fourth win in his past six races. He entered the Kentucky Derby with a lot of positive momentum coming off a win at the Wood Memorial. It was a big step in the right direction after finishing third at the Holy Bull Grade 3 stakes race on Feb. 5.

This race started very similar to the Kentucky Derby for Mo Donegal. Ortiz got him off to a slow start from the first post, but he made up enough ground late to have a respectable finish.

The longer track at Belmont Park worked out much better for Mo Donegal's strengths. He looked stronger down the stretch of the 1.5-mile race while the rest of the field was wearing down.

Saturday's victory marks the second at the Belmont Stakes for Ortiz (Creator, 2016). It's the win at a Triple Crown race for trainer Todd Pletcher (three at the Belmont Stakes, two at the Kentucky Derby).

Belmont Stakes Picks 2022: Predictions and Odds for All Horses in the Lineup

Jun 9, 2022
ELMONT, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Barber Road gallops during a morning workout prior to the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 08, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
ELMONT, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Barber Road gallops during a morning workout prior to the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 08, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

The Belmont Stakes typically has the smallest field of the three Triple Crown races.

That is once again the case for Saturday's race with no Triple Crown hunt in play in New York.

After his stunning win at the Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike's trainer and owner opted not to run him in the Preakness Stakes.

Rich Strike could still come away with two legs of the Triple Crown, but his task will be difficult against some of the better three-year-old horses in the country.

Mo Donegal, Creative Minister, We The People and Nest all have morning-line odds under 10-1, just like Rich Strike.

Only three horses in the eight-horse field carry long-shot odds, and they are not likely to replicate Rich Strike's surge to the front from Churchill Downs.

In fact, Rich Strike may not even turn in another run to the front. It is worth remembering this is a horse that was 80-1 to win the Kentucky Derby and only thrived because of the blistering pace set from the start of the race.

The other four horses with low odds may be better options than Rich Strike because the Derby winner has only actually struck rich once in his career.

Belmont Stakes Horses and Odds

1. We The People (2-1)

2. Skippylongstocking (20-1)

3. Nest (8-1)

4. Rich Strike (7-2)

5. Creative Minister (6-1)

6. Mo Donegal (5-2)

7. Golden Glider (20-1)

8. Barber Road (10-1)

Odds via BelmontStakes.com

Predictions

Rich Strike Struggles To Remain In Front

It can be easy to forget Rich Strike's results prior to his surprising win at the Kentucky Derby.

The horse strung together a collection of third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishes in the five races before he entered Churchill Downs.

The Derby winner produced those finishes at minor stakes races and against one or two horses that were entered in the Derby and Preakness. He was not competing in the major tune-up races with loaded fields.

Rich Strike won the Derby because he benefited from the super fast pace that the race took up. A slower pace would have doomed the Derby long shot from the start.

A slow start to the Belmont could hurt Rich Strike's chances of challenging at the front on Saturday.

The quality of the other favorites in the field could also doom Rich Strike's attempt to win two of the three Triple Crown races.

A case could be made for each of the other four favorites to cross the finish line in first based on their recent form.

We The People and Mo Donegal Compete For The Win

We The People opened as the morning-line favorite once the Belmont Stakes post draw was completed.

We The People turned heads with a win at the Peter Pan Stakes on May 14, a race that took place at Belmont Park.

The race favorite does not have an extensive history of racing. He placed seventh in the Arkansas Derby before his win in May.

The fresh legs and an inside starting position could help We The People get out in front and stay there for most of the race.

Mo Donegal won the Wood Memorial in the buildup to the Kentucky Derby, where he finished fifth.

But he has not raced since Churchill Downs, so that should help his pace throughout the Belmont.

We The People and Mo Donegal may be the best choices among the five horses with lower odds. Rich Strike does not have a great history outside of the Derby, and Creative Minister is running his third race in five weeks.

Nest, a filly trained by Todd Pletcher, is the wild card among the favored horses. She took second behind Secret Oath at the Kentucky Oaks, and history could be behind her. Pletcher owns one of the two victories by fillies at the Belmont with Rags to Riches in 2007.

Belmont Stakes Picks 2022: Vegas Odds and Predictions After Post Draw

Jun 8, 2022
ELMONT, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: Rich Strike and his exercise rider train on the track during a morning workout prior to the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 07, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
ELMONT, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: Rich Strike and his exercise rider train on the track during a morning workout prior to the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 07, 2022 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The posts have been drawn and the field is now set for the 2022 Belmont Stakes. There might not be a Triple Crown winner this year, but eight strong horses will be hitting the track in Elmont, New York, on Saturday.

Among the top contenders will be Rich Strike, who won the Kentucky Derby last month as an 80-1 long shot. The colt didn't run the Preakness Stakes, so the Belmont will mark his first action since his improbable victory at Churchill Downs.

The Preakness was won by Early Voting, who didn't take part in the Kentucky Derby and won't be at the Belmont. So Rich Strike is the only horse that has a chance to win two of this year's Triple Crown events.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into the 2022 Belmont Stakes.

Belmont Stakes Lineup, Odds

1. We The People (2-1)

2. Skippylongstocking (20-1)

3. Nest (8-1)

4. Rich Strike (7-2)

5. Creative Minister (6-1)

6. Mo Donegal (5-2)

7. Golden Glider (20-1)

8. Barber Road (10-1)

Odds via BelmontStakes.com

Preview, Predictions

Of the eight horses in the Belmont field, Rich Strike owns the most impressive win, following the late surge he used to best a host of strong competitors in the Derby. However, that isn't enough to make him the early favorite for Saturday.

Instead, We The People currently has the shortest odds for this year's Belmont. It will be the colt's debut during Triple Crown season after not competing in the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness.

The colt has won three of his first four career races, with one of those victories coming in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park last month. However, his one non-win was a seventh-place finish at the Arkansas Derby in April.

But considering We The People has had recent success at Belmont Park, it makes sense that he has strong odds to win at the weekend.

It's not always the morning-line favorite who wins a race, though, as Rich Strike proved in the Kentucky Derby. Mo Donegal (5-2) and Rich Strike (7-2) also have short odds for the Belmont and are poised for strong showings.

Mo Donegal has finished in the money in each of his first five career races, winning three of those events. He finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, but he didn't have a great beginning to the race, having started from the No. 1 post.

At the Belmont, the three-year-old will have a better starting spot, as he drew the No. 6 post. And that could help him have a better finish, too.

Before the Kentucky Derby, Rich Strike had finished third or worse in six of his first seven career races. But he showed with his win at Churchill Downs that he's capable of working his way through the field with ease.

While We The People, Mo Donegal and Rich Strike are the three top contenders, any of the other five horses could be in the running for the win, too. It should be a competitive race that could go several different ways.

So, what's going to happen once the runners and riders take their posts at Belmont Park on Saturday evening?

The prediction here is that Mo Donegal takes the lead early in the race and holds on for the biggest win of his career thus far. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt is capable of much better than he showed at the Kentucky Derby, and a better start will allow him to show that on Saturday from a stronger post position.

"It gives him some flexibility to stay on the outside and come running late," owner Ray Bryan said, per Mike MacAdam of The Daily Gazette. “In the Derby, he was never able to get to the outside and do that, so [jockey] Irad [Ortiz Jr.] was compromised a couple times. I don’t think that’s going to be the case with the smaller field and him being in the 6 post. If anything, that should give him some comfort."

And that comfort will lead to a big win. Mo Donegal will outrun We The People during the final stretch, holding on for the victory to cap off the Triple Crown season.

Prediction: Mo Donegal wins the Belmont Stakes.

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