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Belmont Stakes Betting: After missing out on a victory at the Preakness by a half length, legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas is ready to give it another shot with Bravazo at the Belmont Stakes. The only horse besides Justify to run in all three legs of the Triple Crown, Bravazo finished sixth at the Kentucky Derby. But it was his powerful finish at the Preakness that led to a rematch in New York. Bravazo closed down the stretch and nearly ended the Triple Crown hopes of Justify. Instead, he nosed out Tenfold and Good Magic to place in the quagmire at Pimlico.
The 150th running of the Belmont Stakes will take place on Saturday, June 9, 2018 with post time set for 6:40 p.m. ET at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Catch the Belmont Stakes live on NBC.
Bravazo
Career Record: 3-2-1
Career Earnings: $736,528
Belmont Stakes Odds at BookMaker.eu: +450
Given his strong finish at the Preakness and a better than expected run at the Kentucky Derby, Bravazo opened as the third favorite at +450. The longer tracks appear to be to his liking and had the Preakness been a slightly longer race, Bravazo probably would have overtaken Justify. He’ll have the chance at the 1 ½-mile long Belmont. Never count out a Lukas horse and the trainer feels Bravazo will handle the turnaround easily. He’s been inconsistent as evidenced by his last two races, but Bravazo has finished in the money in six of his 10 starts with three victories.
Why Bravazo Will Win the Belmont Stakes
A powerful close at the Preakness threw a scare into Justify and his handlers, and now Bravazo will have a chance to make up that half-length on the longer track at Belmont. He’s been stretched out over his last several races and he was running faster at the end than any of the horses at Pimlico. “I just loved the way he ran,” Lukas said of Bravazo’s Preakness race.
His chances of winning increase drastically if Audible doesn’t run, which takes another favorite out of the mix. But he showed he could run with the best 3-year-old by coming closer than any horse has to beating Justify at the Preakness. And given another solid ride Bravazo could surprise.
Why Bravazo Won't Win the Belmont Stakes
The surprising finish in Baltimore may have given supporters a false sense of Bravazo’s worth. He’s a strong horse with good pedigree, so there’s always a chance, but the bottom line is that he’s not in the same class as Justify or Audible. Lukas knows his horse and doesn’t feel running him in every Triple Crown race will slow Bravazo down. But he not only has to beat Justify, he also has several other horses that are rested and capable, and that’s too much to overcome.
The Final Verdict
Racing is as unpredictable as any sport and you never what can happen. Bravazo’s strong close and near miss at Pimlico is a testament to that. He’s run his two best races in the last two and his runner-up finish at the Preakness was his best. It looks as though he’s getting stronger and the distance at Belmont is to his liking. However, he’s had a lot of work this year and in the end that will prevent him from another strong finish. He may have enough to finish in the money, but I don’t believe Bravazo has what it takes to finish this off.
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2018 Belmont Stakes Contenders
