“The Test of the Champion” is the perfect moniker of the Belmont Stakes. To be exact the Belmont is where coveted Triple Crown immortality is clinched. On the other hand, it’s also where Triple Crown hearts are broke. This is what makes Belmont Stakes betting such a huge draw for gamblers. A total of 23 horses started the Belmont with a shot at the Triple Crown and lost. And then there are 13 horses that have won that greatest challenge. Two of them were recent. American Pharoah ended a 37-year Triple Crown drought. Justify won the Triple Crown three years later. The great hall of Famer Bob Baffert trained both horses.
Belmont Stakes Basics
Cause by COVID-19 was the Belmont Stakes first of the three 2020 Triple Crown races. Usually, it’s the final sportsbook race run three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. Belmont Park was opened in 1905. And can accommodate over 100,000 fans. When a Triple Crown championship is on the line the Belmont draws high television ratings. Specifically, over 21 million viewers. It is the longest of the three Triple Crown races at a mile and a half.
Top Belmont Stakes Jockeys
Manny Franco
Namely, it was Manny Franco that rode Tiz the Law to the 2020 Belmont Stakes title. Franco, age 25, is one of the top emerging jockeys in horse racing. So far in his career, Franco has already won over 1000 races. Franco was aboard Tiz the Law for all of his major wins. He is consistently near the top of the Belmont meet standings.
Joel Rosario
Owing to a consistent career near the top of the Belmont meet standings is Joel Rosario revered amongst horse handicappers. Rosario, age 35, posted a Belmont Stakes Betting win in 2019 aboard Sir Winston. Also riding to victory was Tonalist in 2014. Rosario has a total of nine Belmont starts for his career.
Irad Ortiz Jr.
At the age of 27, Irad Ortiz Jr. has already become one of horse racing’s top jockeys. In sum he has seven Belmont Stakes starts with one win. Creator was the horse that prevailed in 2016 at 16/1 odds. Ortiz Jr. was the Eclipse Award winner as America’s top jockey in 2018 and 2019. Despite taking much of 2020 off due to COVID-19 Ortiz was still producing. He has led all North American jockeys in wins for 2020. A Hall of Fame career beckons for Ortiz Jr.
Jose Ortiz
At age 26 Jose Ortiz has wasted no time in becoming a top tier North American jockey. To illustrate he has six Belmont stars with one win. That was in 2017 aboard Tapwrit. He is best known for riding Tacitus in 2019. Further, Ortiz has a total of three Breeders’ Cup wins for his career. New York is quite familiar with the excellence of Ortiz. Cause by his multiple racing titles in that state.
Junior Alvarado
For over a decade Junior Alvarado has been a national leader in the top 15 of earnings among jockeys. He began his career in South Florida before moving to Chicago. Accordingly, Alvarado has become the lead jockey there.
John Velazquez
At the onset, John Velazquez road Rags to Riches and Union Rags to Belmont wins. Velazquez, age 46, is among the winningest and most respected jockeys of all time.