It’s a Saturday smorgasbord for West Virginia horse betting.
Mountain State gamblers have a bevy of wagering options, centered around the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.
First is the race itself, which has an approximate post time of 6:45 p.m. ET. The final jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown will feature the winner of the first, as Kentucky Derby-winning Rich Strike returns to headline the field.
The second is the massive undercard. The big races bring Belmont a whopping total of more than $6 million worth of purses on its one program, which begins at 11:20 a.m. It is one of the most loaded one-day lineups of the entire year.
Gamblers can access all the action through various outlets, including TVG.
Next is the potential for West Virginia gamblers to make a night of it at the Hollywood Casino and Charles Town live racing card, which starts at 7 p.m.
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Belmont Stakes betting odds in WV
Here are the results of the Belmont draw, along with the early odds for each horse:
- We the People, 2-1
- Skippylongstocking, 20-1
- Nest, 8-1
- Rich Strike, 7-2
- Creative Minister, 6-1
- Mo Donegal, 5-2
- Golden Glider, 20-1
- Barber Road, 10-1
Here is the Belmont lineup:
- $400,000 Woody Stephens Presented by Mohegan Sun
- $500,000 Ogden Phipps
- $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhattan
- $1 million Metropolitan Handicap
- $400,000 Jaipur
- $500,000 Longines Just a Game
- $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational
- $1.5 million Belmont Stakes
- $500,000 Acorn
Betting on the 2022 Belmont
Here is a capsule look at the field that was expected to fill Tuesday’s draw. There may be some changes (e.g., Ethereal Road was scratched Monday, reducing the prospective field to eight) before post time.
Rich Strike was the longest shot on the board in the Kentucky Derby five weeks ago. He shocked the field at 80-1, skipped the Preakness three weeks ago (ensuring there will be no Triple Crown sweep), and will be one of the favorites this time.
The race length of 1 1/2 miles is the most unique on the Triple Crown circuit. No horses in this race have ever run this distance, and they probably will not again.
Horses to watch
Mo Donegal will gain betting support because of his stellar New York campaign. That includes his rallying victory in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Race Track.
He finished a strong fifth in the Kentucky Derby after drawing the dreaded rail position. He’s expected to be a major force here.
Nest will try to become the first filly to win since Rags to Riches in 2007. Only three fillies have done so, with Ruthless in 1867 and Tanya in 1905 as the others.
Creative Minister figures to gain betting support behind a strong third-place finish in the Preakness Stakes. It was a rallying performance.
We the People will try to parlay a recent Peter Pan Stakes victory at this track into a Belmont Stakes triumph. Horses with a race over this track have an edge.
Skippylongstocking may be the one trying to get to the lead early.
Barber Road finished a respectable sixth in the Kentucky Derby and has usually been his strongest at the end of races. This fuels optimism for some of his backers that the long Belmont Stakes distance will be to his liking.
Golden Glider was a distant second to We the People in the Peter Pan but will try to parlay a similar edge of having previously raced over this track.
Points to consider in the Belmont Stakes
Gamblers will demand value, as none of the horses can be considered a prohibitive favorite.
The post-time betting favorite could be 5-2 or higher. If that’s the case, the win line would be an excellent place to put the bulk of the bankroll. Odds in that range will yield a good rate of return.
The exacta figures to pay reasonably well, so be sure to box that. Bettors will be wary of spreading too much money for the trifecta and superfecta wagers. A key to that will be whether one believes a long shot will run in the top three or four places.
This has emerged as a banner day in horse racing as a practicality.
Belmont Park noticed a dramatic attendance increase whenever a Triple Crown threat loomed. But when one didn’t, the race became a special stand-alone event on an island: a nice event, but with no hype.
Belmont Park countered by making this day powerful enough to carve out its own reputation. And purses exceeding $6 million in one day accomplish the goal.
Bettors can not only enjoy the undercard but also watch for patterns regarding how the track is playing. Are horses that get to the front staying in the front pack, or are the winners coming from the back of the pack?
This indicates whether the track is fast enough to reward early-speed horses or heavy enough to tire them and set the stage for closers.
Belmont history
Justify (2018) and American Pharoah (2015) are the last two horses to have completed the Triple Crown sweep by winning the Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah ended a 37-year drought stretching back to Affirmed in 1978.
