Ranking Each of the 2024 Belmont Stakes Horses

Ranking Each of the 2024 Belmont Stakes Horses

One of my absolute favorite races of the year is here, although it's going to look a little different than the other 155 runnings. The Belmont Stakes has been called the "Test of the Champion" because it has always been the longest of the three Triple Crown races. This year, however, the race is being held at Saratoga race course and will be run at one and a quarter mile - the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. Let's dig in to each horse's chances of winning, odds aside, in the final race of the Triple Crown.

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10: Honor Marie (12-1)

Honor Marie is a fun horse that I think could win some nice races later on down the road. There are a number of factors against him in this race. First, Saratoga is a track that generally favors early speed, which Honor Marie just has not shown yet. Second, as far as deep closers are concerned, there isn't a chance I'm taking Honor Marie over the likes of Sierra Leone, who should be the favorite in this race. Nice horse, just not the right spot for him. He'll need a fast pace (which he very well could get) to run into and for Sierra Leone to run into a wall of traffic if he wants a chance.

9: Seize the Grey (8-1)

Seize the Grey proved me and many others wrong after winning the Preakness a few weeks ago, but I'm coming back and fading this one harder than ever. The thousands of owners of this colt and their friends and family are going to hammer this horse at the windows, and I'm totally against this hype train. He has not had much of a break from winning the Pat Day Mile and then the Preakness two weeks later. Now can he wheel back around in another three weeks against a saltier group? I'm not touching this one. He won't get the perfect setups like he did in his last two wins.

8: Dornoch (15-1)

My old friend Dornoch. He was not a horse that I was very excited about going into the Derby, but figured that he might have a chance if he can make the lead. He did not make the lead and did very little running that day. This time around he should have a lot of other speedy horses around him up front, and I don't think it will be easy for him to establish an easy start to the race. Dornoch is going to ruin people's tickets one day and go gate to wire against a good field of horses in maybe a Grade 2 or 3 race, but I don't see it happening in this one.

7: The Wine Steward (15-1)

The Wine Steward has been pretty disappointing in his last two races. Was the favorite in the Peter Pan Stakes and gave up the lead in deep stretch, and before that he failed as the favorite in the Lexington. Possibly this one hits the board, but I'm not counting on it. Good horse, just frustrating if you're a fan of him.

6: Antiquarian (12-1)

Antiquarian won the Peter Pan Stakes over the likes of The Wine Steward and Protective. The Peter Pan just was not that impressive to me overall, and his races before haven't given me any encouragement to play him on Belmont Saturday. Go back and watch his race against similar caliber runners in the Louisiana Derby back in March. Very "meh" to me.

5: Protective (20-1)

Maybe I'm getting a little nutty putting a maiden in the top half of my power rankings for the Belmont Stakes, but I think that this horse very well could hit the board and maybe even spring an upset at Saratoga. He has finished third in every one of his races, and his last race in the Peter Pan (while that was not an impressive race overall to me) still showed on his gallop out that he had more in the tank. I think that a mile and a quarter will do him just fine, and we could certainly see some improvement from Protective. Also, with Tyler Gaffalione not riding Sierra Leone for this race, I wonder if that'll lead to an inspired ride and good storyline to watch.

4: Mystik Dan (5-1)

I loved the race for Mystik Dan last time in the Preakness. He was the best horse in that race, but just couldn't run down Seize the Grey, who got loose on the lead and didn't have to break a sweat to hold off the field. Mystik Dan has heart, he has guts, and he very well might regress here in his third race in five weeks. I hope that the Derby Champion can put one more good effort forward before taking a little break, but it won't be easy.

3: Resilience (10-1)

I liked Resilience coming out of the Wood Memorial and going into the Derby, but he came up a bit empty after a fantastic ride by Junior Alvarado. He made a big five-wide move at the top of the stretch, nearly nabbed the lead, and then faded in the stretch as the closers blew by him. Maybe if he can save some ground and not work too hard to sit behind the early speed he'll have a legitimate shot. Look for another stellar ride by Alvarado.

2: Mindframe (7-2)

Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher are not sending out their monster in Fierceness after the dud that was the Kentucky Derby, but instead they're bringing a fresh up and comer named Mindframe to Saratoga. This son of Constitution has a ton of upside after showing off two fantastic performances. He is absolutely swimming in deeper waters, but I have to think that this team would not have sent him to this race if they didn't think he was ready. But there is one monster he and everyone else will still have to hold off.

1: Sierra Leone (9-5)

Sierra Leone is a beautiful horse, and an ugly runner. Still, you can't deny that he is the best horse in this race by far on paper. While it was heartbreaking to lose my Derby play by a snail's whisker, it just inspires me to play him in this one five weeks later. The running style is the main issue with Sierra Leone. Deep closers at Saratoga aren't my favorite play, but I don't really think that the race set-up is going to matter for this one. He has been just too stinkin' good to deny that he deserves this favoritism. Good luck!

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