The 2022 Triple Crown season is about to wrap up this coming Sunday at the 2022 Belmont Stakes. Of course, all eyes in the horse racing world will be on this race on Saturday, and with that, we present to you a brief look at some of the favorites, sleepers, and a long shot at the 2022 Belmont Stakes.
Mo Donegal is perhaps the top horse to watch out for in the upcoming 2022 Belmont Stakes for a number of reasons. Among which is the fact that he is being trained by renowned trainer Todd Pletcher, who’s got three Belmont Stakes titles under his belt. Pletcher was the trainer of three horses that won the third leg of the Triple Crown before, namely Rags to Riches (2007), Palace Malice (2013), and Tapwrit (2017). As for Mo Donegal himself, he last appeared at the 2022 Kentucky Derby where he finished fifth. However, that was just the first time ever that Mo Donegal failed to show. Prior to the Kentucky Derby, he won the Grade 2 Wood Memorial and was also victorious at the Grade 2 Remsen back in December 2021.
We The People will be bringing serious speed to the 2022 Belmont Stakes. While he did not participate in any of the first two legs of the Triple Crown, We The People has three wins in four starts, including his success at the Grade 3 Peter Pan race back in May. Riding We The People for the big race this coming Saturday will be Flavien Prat, who was also the man on top of Hot Rod Charlie, the runner-up at the 2021 Belmont Stakes.
Rich Strike needs little introduction, especially to horse racing fans. The 3-year-old colt was virtually unknown among casual fans until it blew away the competition at the 2022 Kentucky Derby by coming all the way back from behind the pack to first place for an improbable win at Churchill Downs. Rich Strike skipped the 2022 Preakness Stakes so he’s well-rested for the 2022 Belmont Stakes, where he will be looking to go 2 of 3 in this Triple Crown season. Overall in his career, Rich Strike has shown in five of eight career starts.
Here’s what we said about Nest in our 2022 Belmont Stakes sleepers preview:
Todd Pletcher has more than one horse racing at the upcoming 2022 Belmont Stakes. Apart from favorite Mo Donegal, Pletcher also has Nest, who’s got longer odds than Mo Donegal, but should be an attractive horse for those looking to lay action on a sleeper. The 3-year-old filly has produced some sensational results since she started racing in 2021. Nest broke maiden in her very first race and then won two graded stakes races, namely the Grade 2 Demoiselle and the Grade 1 Ashland. In between those wins was another victory at the Suncoast Stakes. The last time Nest galloped was at the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs where he placed runner-up.
Here’s what we said about Barber Road in our 2022 Belmont Stakes sleepers preview:
Although Barber Road finished just sixth at the 2022 Kentucky Derby, that was actually a quality run from the John A. Ortiz-trained 3-year-old colt, considering the odds he was given. In any case, Barber Road does seem to have the chops to make noise at the 2022 Belmont Stakes. For one, he has shown in seven of nine overall starts. His best finishes to date were a win in a maiden claiming race at Keeneland and a victory at a stakes trial race at Churchill Downs. Then Barber Road also shown in three consecutive graded stakes races prior to the 2022 Kentucky Derby, placing second at the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes, third at Grade 2 Rebel Stakes, and runner-up at Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
