The $1 million Belmont Derby will be run Saturday, July 8 at Belmont Park! The race drew a deep field of 11 three-year-old turf horses to go 1 ¼ miles on Belmont’s course. It is the first leg of the New York Turf Triple, which continues through the Saratoga Derby and finishes back at Belmont Park with the Jockey Club Derby. These are the richest races in America for sophomore grass horses, and as always the class of the field reflects that.
The horses this year include a mix of accomplished turf runners from both North America and overseas, in keeping with the history of the race. Though the Belmont Derby has only existed as such since 2014, it has quickly established itself as a leading race with winners like Deauville (2016), Oscar Performance (2017), Catholic Boy (2018), and Bolshoi Ballet (2021).
Due to both the size and the class of the entrants, the Belmont Derby is one of the best betting horse races of the summer. So, keep reading to find out the best horses to play in the race, and the best places to bet the Belmont Derby online.
Betting the Belmont Derby Online
Once you sign up for an online sportsbook, you can join the Belmont Derby action from anywhere you can connect to the internet, so sign up for one today! Though there are many options, our expert online sportsbook reviews are here to make that decision a breeze.
All of our recommended sites have the basics: trusted payouts and deposits, real Vegas odds, and great user interfaces. Each site also offers great incentives: sign-up bonuses, deposit bonuses, and even rebates for all your wagering, win or lose! Each site’s bonuses appeal most to different bettors, so taking a few minutes now to pick the best one for you can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars for your bankroll as you play!
Belmont Derby Field and Odds
These are the official entrants for the 2023 Belmont Derby, along with their post positions, trainers, and jockeys:
- Mendelssohns March (Ken McPeek/Dylan Davis)
- Boppy O (Mark Casse/Luis Saez)
- Cyber Ninja (Bill Mott/Junior Alvarado)
- Webslinger (Mark Casse/Javier Castellano)
- Far Bridge (Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz)
- Silver Knott (Charlie Appleby/Richard Mullen)
- Wizard of Westwood (Michael McCarthy/John Velazquez)
- Kalik (Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz, Jr.)
- Mondego (Christophe Clement/Joel Rosario)
- Redistricting (Chad Brown/Flavien Prat)
- The Foxes (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy)
Closer to the race day, Belmont Park will release morning-line odds. However, these are no guarantee for horseplayers, but rather the track’s best estimate for post-time prices. Your best bet is to play the Belmont Derby at an online sportsbook. Since online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds wagering, you can lock in the best price the moment you bet, and watch the race with confidence!
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Foxes | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Silver Knott | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Far Bridge | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Kalik | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Webslinger | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Redistricting | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Belmont Derby Best Bet
Wizard of Westwood is the best bet in the Belmont Derby. He is a longshot trained by Michael McCarthy, who has a long history of shipping ambitiously spotted horses to outrun their odds. He shapes as the controlling speed in the race, and he has already won a stakes race at 1 ¼ miles. Though this is a deeper field, a frontrunning trip can be exactly what he needs to rise to the challenge at a huge price, just as Classic Causeway did last year.
Belmont Derby Favorites
Kalik won the local prep, the Pennine Ridge (G2), for trainer Chad Brown. Though Brown has yet to win the Belmont Derby, he is one of America’s top turf trainers. Kalik may not have quite as much early speed as Wizard of Westwood, but if he reverts back to the stalking style he showed in his maiden-breaker he has a good chance to be right there at the end.
The Foxes comes out of a strong edition of the Epsom Derby (G1), a race in which the top two finishers have already come back to win major European races. His late-running style may run up against a less-than-optimal pace setup, but he does bring the most class of anyone in the field and the cut back to 1 ¼ miles should be perfect for him.
Belmont Derby Exotics Horses
Webslinger prevailed in a tight finish two back in the American Turf (G2). He dropped in class for the Audubon next out, which he also won. What was interesting about the Audubon is that he was able to sit closer to the pace than ever before, and still run a confident, winning race. With that tactic in his toolset, this Mark Casse trainee should be a factor in this race.
Silver Knott, for trainer Charlie Appleby, has spent most of his career in Europe though he has stayed stateside since a third-place outing in the Pennine Ridge. He is another who may find the flow of the race against him, but his consistency in finding the frame as well as his level of class are enough to make him figure for exotics. He is hard to trust on the win end, especially at a likely short price, but could hit the board once again.
Free Belmont Derby Bets
You have set up your online betting account and gotten to know the field for the race. Now it’s time for the most fun part of all: making your wagers on the race! Here are your best bets for the 2023 Belmont Derby!
- $20 to win - #7 Wizard of Westwood
- $1 exacta box - #7 Wizard of Westwood, #8 Kalik, #11 The Foxes
- $0.50 trifecta box - #4 Webslinger, #7 Wizard of Westwood, #8 Kalik, #11 The Foxes
- $0.20 superfecta box - #4 Webslinger, #7 Wizard of Westwood, #6 Silver Knott, #8 Kalik, #11 The Foxes
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