2019 Belmont Stakes Expert Picks

There are many folks who call themselves experts when it comes to picking horse winners, then there are those who are proven.  Gambling911.com has some expert picks and analyses for Saturday's Belmont Stakes, including entrants to avoid.

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Last year, veteran horse racing handicapper Jody Demling correctly picked Justify to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner ever. 

Demling has called the winners of the Haskell Invitational, Pennsylvania Derby, Lecomte Stakes, Arkansas Derby, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and Louisiana Derby, and he's hit nine of the last 11 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs.

And this year he's big on  Intrepid Heart (10-1) as part of his exotics play while staying clear of Spinoff (15-1), one of two entrants by Belmont guru trainer Todd Pletcher.

"He's likely to have high Belmont Stakes odds but I'm not over the 18th at the Derby," Demling told SportsLine. "This will be a lot of ground to make up. I don't see him finishing in the money."

His winning pick is revealed at SportsLine.

Horse racing handicapper Brian Zipse from Derby Day Racing and Horse Racing Nation offered his expert picks for the 2019 Belmont Stakes to PennLive.

Scroll Down For his analyses

Belmont Gold Cup Invitational  PLACE BETS HERE
05:48 PM     6     Arklow         +200     
9     Canessar         +550     
8     Raa Atoll         +550     
4     Red Knight         +550     
3     Amade         +650     
1     Mootasadir         +700     
5     Highland Sky         +1600     
7     Hunter O Riley         +1600     
2     Noble Thought         +3300     
Saturday, Jun 08, 2019
The Met Mile PLACE BETS HERE
04:46 PM     2     McKinzie         +225     
3     Mitole         +350     
7     Firenze Fire         +550     
4     Thunder Snow         +550     
1     Coal Front         +600     
9     Prince Lucky         +1000     
6     Promises Fulfilled         +1400     
8     Pavel         +2500     
5     Tale of Silence         +3300     
2019 Belmont Stakes PLACE BETS HERE
06:37 PM     10     Tacitus         +165     
9     War of Will         +250     
5     Bourbon War         +1200     
8     Intrepid Heart         +1200     
3     Master Fencer         +1200     
6     Spinoff         +1200     
2     Everfast         +1400     
7     Sir Winston         +1600     
4     Tax         +1600     
1     Joevia         +3300  

Joevia: “I think he’s probably going to be on the lead early. I just can’t see him sticking around. His breeding and past performance really point to him being nowhere at the finish after being on the lead early. He’ll be a pace setter.”  

Bourbon War: “Bourbon War showed some nice rallies earlier in the year. He didn’t get into the Kentucky Derby and then when he got in the Preakness, he ran a disappointing race. He didn’t look good in the minutes before the Preakness, so he might have just had a tough day on the track. He could bounce back, but I’m not really liking him to rally at a mile and a half.”

Like Demling, Zipse is liking Intrepid Heart: “Intrepid Heart is a very interesting long shot for a few reasons. He probably has the best breeding of everyone to go long distances. He is very lightly raced, but that’s typical of Todd Pletcher, who doesn’t race his horses a ton. His last race didn’t look good on paper, but he had trouble at the start. Expect him to be forwardly placed. He is one of the top candidates to upset the top two.”

Zipse is on the 9-5 favorite Tacitus: “Tacitus just seems like a Belmont Stakes kind of horse. He’s bred to get a distance. Belmont is his home track. He’s a horse who finishes races strong, but doesn’t lag way behind early. He’s also a big, strong and tough horse. He’s proven that in his short career. All signs, including the fact he took the Preakness off, point to Tacitus really turning in an outstanding race. He is a prototypical Belmont winner.”

Reinier Macatangay of HorseRacingNation.com agrees:

"On paper, there is no Belmont contender that looks better in this category than Tacitus, who crossed the wire a closing fourth in the Kentucky Derby. Tacitus started 14th in the Derby not because he is a plodder, but because of the amount of horses in the race. This Tapit colt does own some speed. Once they went on the back stretch, he settled behind the pack and ran at the same tempo. He didn't look too eager, but never lost pace."

Sir Winston and Intrepid Heart are two Belmont Stakes entrants Macatangay sees as being competitive Saturday.

The race is scheduled to start at 6:37 p.m., ET Saturday June 8 with coverage beginning 2 pm ET.

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com