2022 Belmont Stakes Odds, Picks, Betting Analysis: Mo Donegal
This Saturday, the 154th running of the Belmont Stakes will begin before 7 p.m. ET at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. Located just east of New York City, Belmont Park is home to the final leg of the annual Triple Crown of horse racing, with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes getting us to this point.
Following what was an electric Kentucky Derby that had Rich Strike winning as an 80-1 underdog, Early Voting took the Preakness Stakes a few weeks later. With Rich Strike back in the field but Early Voting choosing to sit this one out, the 2022 Belmont Stakes is anyone’s to win.
Let’s take a closer look at one horse’s odds.
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Mo Donegal Betting Information
- Owner: Donegal Racing and Repole Stable
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Past results: Three wins and four shows in the past six starts, fifth at Kentucky Derby
- Post position: Sixth
Following a fifth-place finish at Churchill Downs, Mo Donegal took some time off to regroup and hasn’t raced since, leaving the three-year-old colt well-rested as he attempts to take this one home. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, Mo Donegal has found plenty of success in his six career starts, winning three and finishing two in third for $711,800 in career earnings.
As for his jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr. is amongst the best horse racing has to offer, as the 29-year-old Puerto Rico native has been No. 1 in jockey wins every year since 2017 and No. 3 or better in annual earnings every year since 2013. It’s also worth noting that despite finishing outside the coveted top three at the Kentucky Derby, Mo Donegal drew the dreaded No. 1 gate, the worst gate to draw at the crowded Kentucky Derby.
Betting Preview and Prediction
While We The People is the odds-on favorite in this race for good reason, I think Mo Donegal has a real chance to get it done here, given his team’s pedigree. Despite falling short at Churchill Downs, it was his first grade one race, and his No. 4 gate in this race should align perfectly with his and Ortiz Jr.’s strategy.
If Mo Donegal can get a good start out of the gates, he has the breakaway speed to take this one to the finish and should benefit from the longer-than-average track. I’ll have Mo Donegal not just to win outright but in most of my boxed trifecta variations.
And check out our previews for the top horses of the 2022 Belmont Stakes:
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