2009 BELMONT STAKES BETTING TIPS

Mine That Bird is now trading on Betfair as an odds-on favourite to win the 2009 Belmont Stakes and ensure jockey Calvin Borel a personal Triple Crown. Currently listed at 1.95 in the antepost market for the June 6th race at Belmont Park, Mine That Bird should be able to handle this 1.5 mile trek on the dirt. There's a smaller field in this one than the other Triple Crown races and it's also a tad longer than the rest. A number of these horses have never been raced at this distance and that could factor into some of the equations come racetime. Dunkirk, who flopped at the Kentucky Derby and sat out the Preakness, is well-priced at 5.9. Although I had originally written him off an expensive "hype-horse" I think he's just been ridden incorrectly so far. The jockeys seem to try to play him as a closer down the stretch and I don't think its his strong-suit, especially against a closing specialist like Mine That Bird. I think he needs to get near the front of the pack early and then put the drive on for the close- something I haven't seen attempted with him yet. Charitable Man is expected to be the speed horse coming out of the gate and he is currently listed as the #2 favourite to win the race. He won the Peter Pan Stakes on the Belmont course just a few weeks prior to this and it will take a hell of a dash from Mine That Bird to overcome Charitable Man's quick pace out of the gate. I expect Charitable Man's price to drop come post-time and he will be involved in nearly all of my exotics. My third-place specialist Musket Man is not running in this race and Rachel Alexandra has been officially removed from contention, although the filly is still listed on the Betfair market and trades at 9.2 for some odd reason. Chocolate Candy is at 15.5, Flying Private at 22. Mr Hot Stuff, who had a deplorable Derby, sits at 28. Summer Bird, another one who didn't convince many at Louisville carries an attractive price of 21.0. Luv Gov is the longest odds at 70.0 with Nowhere to Hide at 50.0. Miners Escape trades at 40.0 and Brave Victory is listed at 28.0.VERDICT1. Mine That Bird2. Charitable Man3. Dunkirk4. Summer Bird