Belmont Stakes

A handful of horses in the 2022 Belmont Stakes field will try to replicate the path to the winner's circle taken by Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike.

Rich Strike will compete in the Belmont after skipping the Preakness Stakes because of his trainer's decision not to run two weeks after the Derby.

After winning the Kentucky Derby with the longest odds in the field, he will be one of the favorites to win the Belmont because of that performance at Churchill Downs.

A long-shot victor may be hard to find in the Belmont field based on the race's recent history. No horse with odds longer than 12-1 has won the final leg of the Triple Crown since 2013.

The draw for the 2022 Belmont Stakes field will take place on Tuesday morning. The post positions and odds can be found on the race's official website when the post draw is finalized.

Dark-Horse Favorites

Barber Road

Barber Road exceeded expectations at the Kentucky Derby by finishing sixth.

Barber Road was one of the deepest long shots in the Derby field, but he benefited from the rapid pace on the first Saturday in May.

He is expected to be one of the longer horses on the odds chart at the Belmont because of the presence of Mo Donegal, Rich Strike and other competitors with higher finishes throughout the Triple Crown hunt.

Barber Road may not win, but he has the potential to land in the top three or four and cash out multi-horse exotic bets.

Barber Road took second at the Arkansas Derby in his final tune-up for the Kentucky Derby, and he finished second or third in the four races prior to Arkansas.

The horse trained by John Ortiz has been competitive in races in 2022, and he should be a player at the front of the field in some capacity at Belmont Park.

Golden Glider

Golden Glider may be the horse that fills the Rich Strike role at the Belmont.

He may not have 80-1 odds like the Derby winner, but he could come out of nowhere to steal first place.

Golden Glider does not have a great track record, finishing second, fourth (twice) and fifth in his last four starts.

He did not compete in the two previous Triple Crown races. His last race resulted in a second-place finish at the Peter Pan Stakes on May 14 behind fellow Belmont entrant We The People.

The one advantage Golden Glider could have over the other dark horses is that his trainer, Mark Casse, has won the Belmont before. He did so in 2019 with Sir Winston.

Coming from the same stable as a recent Belmont winner is the best connection we can make for Golden Glider to be considered in the mix for the win on Saturday.

That is still more than we would have been able to argue in favor of Rich Strike ahead of the Kentucky Derby.

We'll never know if Rich Strike could have won the Triple Crown. That's because the Kentucky Derby-winning colt didn't participate in the Preakness Stakes last month, ensuring that Justify (2018) would remain the most recent horse to win all three of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

However, Rich Strike could go 2-for-2 at Triple Crown events he has competed in. He'll be back in action on Saturday when this year's Belmont takes place in Elmont, New York.

When Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby, he was an 80-1 longshot that stormed through the field late and overtook several top betting favorites to capture the victory. At the Belmont, he'll have shorter odds now that he's proved himself to be a strong competitor.

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

2022 Belmont Stakes Info

Date: Saturday, June 11

TV: Coverage will air from 5-7 p.m. ET on NBC, with post time set to take place during that window.

Post Positions: The draw for post positions is set to take place Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET.

Preview

Rich Strike is the only horse that has an opportunity to win two Triple Crown races this year. Early Voting, the colt that skipped the Kentucky Derby before winning the Preakness, won't be in the Belmont field, instead preparing for the Travers Stakes.

However, some strong horses could prevent Rich Strike from winning the Belmont, including several that have also competed in either the Derby or Preakness.

Mo Donegal and Barber Road finished fifth and sixth, respectively, at the Kentucky Derby, ending up just outside of the money. They could fare better at the Belmont, where they have a chance at winning.

Creative Minister finished third at the Preakness behind only Early Voting and Epicenter—the latter was also the runner-up at the Kentucky Derby. After that solid showing, Creative Minister could be among the top contenders to win the Belmont.

Another horse that raced the Preakness and will be back in action for the Belmont is Skippylongstocking, who finished sixth at Pimlico Race Course.

But many eyes will be on Rich Strike, considering people will be eager to see whether he can win another top event after surprising everybody as a longshot at the Kentucky Derby. Will he again have a late burst that pushes him to victory at Elmont Park?

Rich Strike is already there to prepare for the Belmont, and trainer Eric Reed indicated that the colt is doing well leading up to the race.

"He's definitely enjoying himself and came back really perky," Reed said, per an NYRA news release (h/t Horse Racing Nation). "He's appreciating everything."

In eight career races, Rich Strike has only two wins, and both came at Churchill Downs. And he had finished third or worse in each of his five races prior to the Kentucky Derby.

Still, if Rich Strike performs like he did in the Derby, he will be victorious at Elmont Park, especially because there's no clear-cut favorite in this year's Belmont field.

Early Voting won the 147th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday. However, the Chad C. Brown-trained horse might not be the favorite next month to win at the Belmont Stakes in Belmont, New York.

Early Voting held off pushes from both Epicenter and Creative Minister to capture the victory in Baltimore.

That said, let's look at the potential Belmont Stakes field and which horses might take home the final jewel of the Triple Crown.

Epicenter

The Steven M. Asmussen-trained Epicenter is chomping at the bit for a win in a Triple Crown race this year. The bay colt finished second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes and should be one of the favorites in the final race of the Triple Crown. 

Epicenter has four career wins, with the latest coming in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds track in March. He also has victories in the Risen Star S., Gun Runner Stakes and Maiden Special Weight at Churchill Downs.

In addition, Asmussen, a Hall of Fame trainer, has won 9,756 races since his first victory in 1986. He won the Belmont Stakes in 2016 with Creator and also has won the Preakness Stakes twice.

With Asmussen's experience and Epicenter's talent, they should be among the favorites to take home the final jewel of the Triple Crown.

Simplification

Like Epicenter, the Antonio Sano-trained Simplification is also rearing to grab a win in a Triple Crown race this year. The bay colt finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Preakness Stakes.

Although Simplification might not end up with the top odds to win the Belmont Stakes, he would be a good bet for anyone looking to take a risk. After all, we already saw the unexpected happen when Rich Strike won the Kentucky Derby as a replacement for Ethereal Road.

Simplification has three career wins, with his last coming in the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park in April. He has also won the Mucho Macho Man Stakes and the Maiden Special Weight at Gulfstream Park.

That said, all of Simplification's wins have come on the Gulfstream Park track, and the Belmont Stakes would be the perfect time for him to break through for his first win on another track. 

Mo Donegal

The Todd A. Pletcher-trained Mo Donegal should be among the favorites to win the Belmont Stakes after finishing fifth in the Kentucky Derby.

Mo Donegal may have an early advantage as he has already begun training at the Belmont Stakes track in preparation for the final race of the Triple Crown after missing the Preakness Stakes.

Mo Donegal has three career wins, with his last coming in the Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. He also has victories in the Remsen Stakes and Maiden Special Weight at Belmont Park.

Pletcher has won the Belmont Stakes three times, with his last victory coming in 2017. The Hall of Fame trainer is due for another victory at Belmont Park, and—considering Mo Donegal has been training early for the event—he may be on the cusp of another win.

Bob Baffert's suspension by the New York Racing Association was overturned Wednesday by a federal judge.

According to Larry Neumeister of the Associated Press, Brooklyn Judge Carol Bagley Amon ruled that the NYRA likely violated the due process clause of the 14th Amendment by not giving Baffert the opportunity to respond to the cheating claims made against him—and his subsequent suspension—after his horse, Medina Spirit, failed a drug test at the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert was also suspended by Churchill Downs for two years after Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone a second time. NYRA lawyer Henry Greenberg noted Monday that Medina Spirit's failed test was the fifth time a Baffert horse failed a drug test in the last year, per the AP.

"Rarely in the history of the sport has there been such a confluence of drug positives involving so prominent a trainer," NYRA lawyers wrote.

Greenberg also argued that the association acted quickly to suspend Baffert with the Belmont Stakes approaching at the time, in early June. And he argued that Baffert would get his hearing Aug. 11, when the association will announce the duration of his suspension.

"Isn't that a little too late?" Amon asked. "The problem I have, counsel, is that he was suspended and it's up in the air."

Baffert's legal counsel argued that he never had the chance to defend himself, calling into question the legality of the suspension.

"You just sent him a letter saying, 'You're out,' with no due process whatsoever," Amon noted.

Because the NYRA "held no hearing—let alone a prompt one," the judge nullified the suspension. The ruling opens the door for Baffert to race his horses at Saratoga this week.

"The 2021 Saratoga summer meet is a one-time opportunity. And given that many of the races are limited to horses of a certain age, an inability to compete in those races now means those horses will never have the chance," Amon wrote.

"Baffert will face substantial damage to his income, client base, and reputation if he cannot enter horses at NYRA races for the indefinite future," she added. "He has already lost one prominent client and stands to lose others, and has been deprived of the ability to compete at Belmont."

From the No. 2 starting post to the finish line, Essential Quality had an impressive showing at the 2021 Belmont Stakes on Saturday evening at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The colt entered as the favorite to win the race, and then he went out and lived up to the hype.

It was a strong showing from a horse that was also the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby but finished fourth. This time was much different, although it took a bit of time before Essential Quality made the move to ensure he came away with the victory.

At the beginning of Saturday's race, Essential Quality stayed on the inside while several other horses jumped out to the front. Entering the first turn, Hot Rod Charlie was the leader, while Rock Your World and the long shot France Go de Ina were close behind. That trio had separated itself from the rest of the eight-horse field.

Meanwhile, Essential Quality settled into fifth place, where he was running just behind Preakness champion Rombauer at the quarter-mile mark. That's where he stayed for most of the backstretch, before he pulled up alongside Rombauer and narrowed the gap between them and the top three at the three-quarter-mile mark.

Through one mile, Essential Quality had surged ahead of both Rombauer and France Go de Ina, pulling up alongside Hot Rod Charlie and Rock Your World. And as the final turn approached, Rock Your World slowly dropped off the pace, allowing Hot Rod Charlie and Essential Quality to run neck and neck for the lead.

Hot Rod Charlie did his best to try to hold off the hard-charging Essential Quality, and the two created a huge gap between them and the rest of the field. They were so close at that point it appeared they may cross the finish line together.

Then, Essential Quality had one final surge in him, pushing ahead of Hot Rod Charlie in the final stretch to reach the line first, winning by a margin of 1 ¼ lengths. Hot Rod Charlie came in second, 11 ¼ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Rombauer.

And with that, Essential Quality gave trainer Brad Cox and jockey Luis Saez their first career wins at a Triple Crown event.

"Our horse really showed his talent and stamina the last quarter-mile, which we always suspected he had," Cox said, per David Grening of Daily Racing Form. "Honestly, a mile and a half, you never really know 'til you try it."

Saez was confident Essential Quality would pull ahead and earn the trip to the winner's circle.

"The good thing about Essential, he fight always," Saez said, per Grening. "He doesn't care who it is. He's going to want to beat him."

Essential Quality now owns six wins in seven career races. Earlier this year, he won the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes, but he couldn't remain undefeated at the Kentucky Derby.

After that, Essential Quality didn't race again until the Belmont, as he wasn't among the colts to take part in the Preakness Stakes. That decision that paid off, as it's clear that Essential Quality was ready to go for the Belmont.

Essential Quality finished the Belmont Stakes in two minutes, 27.11 seconds. It wasn't a record (Secretariat ran the race in 2:24 in 1973), but it was a strong time that was fast enough for him to reach the finish line ahead of the other seven horses running.

Despite all the controversy that has surrounded this year's Triple Crown season (with Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit failing a drug test and trainer Bob Baffert not being allowed to enter horses in the Belmont), Essential Quality ended proceedings on a high note. It may not have been a historic performance, but it was an impressive one that brought excitement to Belmont Park on Saturday.

Entering the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Essential Quality was the favorite to win. He had never lost in five career races, so it made sense why the oddsmakers thought the colt would run to victory. Instead, he ended up fourth and wasn't a factor in the finish.

Despite that, Essential Quality was also the favorite heading into this year's Belmont Stakes. And this time, he didn't let down those who backed him.

With an impressive second-half surge, Essential Quality moved to the front of the eight-horse field at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. After settling into fifth, he moved past Preakness champion Rombauer before overtaking the long shot France Go de Ina and Rock Your World and pulling even with Hot Rod Charlie.

Coming out of the final turn, Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie were neck and neck as the pair of colts separated themselves from the rest of the pack. And although Hot Rod Charlie did his best to hold off a charging Essential Quality, it was an unsuccessful effort.

Essential Quality took the lead late and held off Hot Rod Charlie to win by 1 ¼ lengths, finishing in a time of two minutes, 27.11 seconds. It was an impressive showing that gave trainer Brad Cox his first career win at a Triple Crown event.

"That was a long way around there, a mile and a half, but it was exciting," Cox said, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. "It looked like the horse on the inside [Hot Rod Charlie], he still had run left. I knew it was going to be a battle down the lane."

But Essential Quality was too strong to hold off. And that was what many had expected from the colt at the Kentucky Derby, where he ran a solid race but came up short of a winning effort.

Like Cox, jockey Luis Saez had never previously won a Triple Crown event. He had crossed the finish line first at one before, the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but his horse, Maximum Security, was disqualified for interference.

Saez had no doubts that the colt was going to be capable of moving to the front of the field even though he wasn't there during the first half of the race.

"He doesn't care who it is; he's going to want to beat them," Saez said, per Byron King of BloodHorse. "So I knew he was going to show up at the top of the stretch."

While Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie battled for the win, they pulled far away from the rest of the horses. Hot Rod Charlie may have ended up second, but he was also 11 ¼ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Rombauer.

Essential Quality may not have set a Belmont Stakes record—legendary Triple Crown champion Secretariat completed the race in 2:24 in 1973—but it was a strong performance that showcased the skills that made him a winner at previous races such as the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes.

At the Kentucky Derby, Essential Quality didn't break well from the gate. And he didn't run a great race from there, as King pointed out that Trakus data shows the colt covered 68 feet more than eventual winner Medina Spirit at that event.

That wasn't an issue at the Belmont. Even though Essential Quality wasn't in front early, he was never too far back and was always in a position to make a move.

With that performance, Essential Quality provided a thrilling finish to Triple Crown season. The colt may not have met expectations at the first of the three races, but he sure did in the final leg.

The 2021 Triple Crown ended on a remarkable performance, as favorite Essential Quality put forth an outstanding performance to take the Belmont Stakes and make it three winners in three American Classic races. 

The Brad Cox-trained colt was the odds-on favorite at 2-1 to win the race, but that doesn't always guarantee success in the Test of the Champion. The winner had to surpass a strong performance turned in by Hot Rod Charlie, who led for a majority of the race. 

The two former Kentucky Derby entrants bided their time with the pack early in the race, but by the backstretch, it was those two battling for the win and the rest of the pack comfortably behind. 

The performance for the Tapit progeny was a redemption of sorts. As the two-year-old champion last year, his talent made him a favorite to win the Derby, but he finished a disappointing fourth. Jockey Luis Saez attributed the contrast in results to a better break in New York. 

"In the Kentucky Derby we were so confident that we're gonna win that race," jockey Luis Saez said, per the Associated Press. "He was ready for the race. But we have a little unlucky start ... Today the main thing was try to break clean, and the rest I know he's gonna do it."

The talented colt finally breaking through at an American Classic after the rough trip in Louisville is a nice story, but it doesn't make for a great payout for bettors. Hot Rod Charlie had shorter odds as well, and third place went to Preakness winner Rombauer, who wasn't a long shot. 

Here's what the payouts looked like, per Equibase. 

Essential Quality: $4.60 (win) $3.00 (place) $2.60 (show)

Hot Rod Charlie: $4.10 (place) $2.90 (show)

Rombauer: $3.50 (show)

Bettors may not have gotten rich from this race, but it certainly boosted the portfolio of Essential Quality's connections. They walk away with the lion's share of the $1.5 million purse. Here's what the purse distribution looks like along with the finishing times. 

Win: Essential Quality ($800,000) 2:27.11

Place: Hot Rod Charlie ($280,000)

Show: Rombauer ($150,000)

4th:  Known Agenda ($100,000)

5th: Bourbonic ($60,000)

6th: Rock Your World ($45,000)

7th: Overtook ($35,000)

8th: France Go de Ina ($30,000)

Rombauer failed to capture a second leg of the Triple Crown after winning the Preakness. Considering the length disparity between the shortest American Classic in Maryland and the grueling 1½ miles at the Belmont, he acquitted himself well as a horse to watch in shorter graded stakes the rest of the season. 

Rounding out the six-figure winners was Known Agenda. The son of Curlin figured to be bred well for the distance but didn't quite have the speed to catch up with the top two while battling it out with Rombauer to hit the board down the final stretch. 

Tapit continues to have a huge impact on the race. His bloodline has now produced four Belmont winners which ties him for the all-time record. 

Notably absent from the race was Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, who failed a post-Kentucky Derby drug test. Trainer Bob Baffert was suspended by the New York Racing Association while the investigation continues into the horse's failed test. 

Regardless of Medina Spirit's career moving forward, Essential Quality has likely become the favorite to be the champion three-year-old.

There's still plenty to be decided, though. While the Triple Crown is over, the Travers Stakes are right around the corner on August 28. After that, the Breeders' Cup could be in play. 

While we didn't get a Triple Crown winner, Essential Quality proved himself to be special with a win in one of the toughest races there is. He could still wind up having a dominant summer and fall sparked by this trip. 

Essential Quality lived up to the billing on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes.

Coming off a fourth-place showing in the Kentucky Derby, the colt was a 6-5 favorite at Belmont Park. He edged out Hot Rod Charlie to bring an end to the 2021 Triple Crown season.

Jockey Luis Saez played the race perfectly.

At 1½ miles, the Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown races. Rather than push Essential Quality early, Saez was content to run in the middle of the pack for much of the event and save the horse's stamina.

Hot Rod Charlie was a game challenger, but Essential Quality simply had too much speed down the final stretch.

It was a case of deja vu for the runner-up, who also ran second to Essential Quality in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November.

For the last few months, the drama surrounding Bob Baffert and Medina Spirit has been the dominant story in horse racing. On Saturday, Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie combined for a dramatic finish for fans to remember.