Who Are The Belmont Stakes Favorites Ahead of 2024 Triple Crown Race?

As we race towards the final Triple Crown contest of the season, many US horse racing fans will be keen to know who are the Belmont Stakes favorites this year and what is the recent record like of the market leaders in the Test of the Champion?

Sierra Leone One Of The Belmont Stakes Favorites in 2024

Sierra Leone was last seen just missing out in the Kentucky Derby by a nose to Mystik Dan. With Ken McPeek’s Run For The Roses hero also heading to Saratoga, you’d think he’d be one of the Belmont Stakes favorites.

But, it’s actually Sierra Leone that heads the betting for the final Triple Crown race.

A photo finish split the pair at Churchill Downs (watch below) and Mystik Dan has since run second to Seize The Grey in the Preakness Stakes.

However, the Belmont Stakes betting sees the Kentucky Derby winner around four times the price of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone Will Head To Saratoga Fresher Than Most

Many handicappers feel, and oddsmakers on the best Belmont Stakes betting sites seem to agree, that the Chad Brown-trained Sierra Leone was a slightly unlucky loser at Churchill Downs. After a 35-day break, he runs at Saratoga as a slightly fresher horse.

Sierra Leone has Belmont Stakes odds of +125 ahead of the final Triple Crown and he’ll also be seeking a first win in the race for his trainer.

The Gun Runner colt is also yet to finish out of the first two from his five career starts, with his Keeneland Toyota Blue Grass Stakes win in April his highlight to date.

With this year’s Belmont Stakes at Saratoga and also over 2,000m and not the normal 2,400m trip, Sierra Leonne backers can expect another big finish from him. While, as in the Kentucky Derby, connections be hoping he doesn’t run out of time.

WATCH: Sierra Leone Running Second In The 2024 Kentucky Derby

Mindframe Another Of The 2024 Belmont Stakes Favorites

Another of the Belmont Stakes horses prominent the betting is Mindframe.

Part owned by Mike Repole, this is a big step up in class after winning an Allowance Optical Claiming race at Churchill Downs (watch below).

However, oddsmakers are taking no chances with this Todd Pletcher runner. They fear Mindframe is good enough for the leap into a Grade I. The Constitution colt is thus another of the Belmont Stakes favorites, behind Sierra Leone.

Mindframe, who has the outside draw in post position 10, will be having only his third career start at Saratoga.

While, unlike the bulk of the other 2024 runners, he’s not yet figured in any of the opening two Triple Crown races.

Pletcher’s barn and owner Repole will also be looking for compensation here after Florida Derby winner Fierceness was taken out of the Belmont Stakes last week. With his connections saying he “needs more time” to get over his Kentucky Derby efforts. Fierceness may run in the Haskell Stakes instead.

Pletcher will be eyeing a fifth win in this Triple Crown race. With his previous Belmont Stakes winners – 2022 (Mo Donegal), 2017 (Tapwrit), 2013 (Palace Malice) and 2007 (Rag To Riches).

Preakness Stakes and Kentucky Derby Winners Also Heading To Belmont Stakes

Saratoga Race Course will also be delighted that this year’s Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners – Mystik Dan and Seize The Grey – will be running in the Belmont Stakes.

Of, course with different winners of these other two races there will be no Triple Crown hero this season. However, Mystik Dan will have the honour of being the only horse this term to run in all three Triple Crown contests.

The pair are currently sitting just behind the already mentioned Belmont Stakes favorites – Sierra Leone and Mindframe – in the betting.

Mystik Dan will also be hoping to become the 25th horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and only the 12th to win ONLY these two Triple Crown events. With the last horse to win both Justify in 2018.

Seize The Grey will be looking to the 32nd horse to win the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes and the 19th to win ONLY these two races.

The Preakness Stakes winner is also handled by veteran handler D. Wayne Lukas, who has four Belmont Stakes wins in his Hall of Fame training career.

While, looking at the Belmont Stakes trends – there have been four horses since 2000 that have won the last two Triple Crown races.

WATCH: Seize The Grey Winning The 2024 Preakness Stakes

Belmont Stakes 2024 Race Details

The 2024 Belmont Stakes is on Saturday, June 8 at Saratoga racetrack. Also see the complete Belmont Stakes schedule across four days of action at the eponymous Racing Festival.

While other big races over the four-day festival are the Belmont Gold Cup, New York Stakes and Manhattan Stakes.

• 📅Time/Date: 6:41pm (ET), Saturday June 8, 2024
• 🏇Racecourse: Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, New York
• 💰 Purse: $2m
• 📺 TV: Fox Sports and Peacock (live streaming)
• 🎲 Belmont Stakes Odds: Sierra Leone +125 | Mindframe +250 | Mystic Dan +500 | Seize The Grey +600

Who Was The Last Belmont Stakes Favorite To Win?

12 months ago, we saw the Jena Antonucci-trained Arcangelo winning the Belmont Stakes, but the favorite Forte was only second.

However, you don’t have to go back much further to find the last winning market leader of the Belmont Stakes, which was the Todd Pletcher runner Mo Donegal in 2022. He returned 13/5 in the betting and led home a 1-2 for the trainer and also owner Mike Repole with Nest in second (watch below).

Belmont Stakes Favorites Record: How Many Market Leaders Have Won Since 2013?

The Belmont Stakes favorites have done very well in recent times – winning three of the last four runnings.

If we go back a bit further to 2014 (last 10 runnings) this also shows us that there have been SIX winning Belmont Stakes favorites. This works out at a stonking 60% return.

Meaning this Sierra Leone, who is looking like being the 2024 Belmont Stakes favorite, will have this decent stat in his corner.

Belmont Stakes Winning Favorites (Since 2014)

Belmont Stakes Betting 2024

See the latest Belmont Stakes odds 2024, ahead of the June 8 renewal at Saratoga.

Note: Odds subject to change.