The 153rd Run for the Carnations is getting set to go as eight horses will load in the gates at 6:49 p.m. ET on Saturday for the 2021 Belmont Stakes. Essential Quality is the 2-1 favorite in the latest Belmont Stakes 2021 odds, but being the favorite hasn't always translated to success in recent races. From 2010-19 -- as last year's postponed race was contested at a different distance -- the favorite won just twice. Furthermore, only five times over that 10-year span has the favorite finished in the money.
Long shots actually performed better than favorites during that stretch as a horse at 9-1 or longer in the Belmont odds won the race five times. Three such horses fall into that category for the Belmont Stakes 2021: Bourbonic (15-1), Overtook (20-1) and France Go de Ina (30-1). Those underdogs will look to outperform the Belmont Stakes favorites such as Essential Quality, Rombauer (3-1) and Hot Rod Charlie (7-2). With a number of proven horses in the Belmont Stakes 2021 field, you'll want to check out the 2021 Belmont Stakes picks from SportsLine's Jody Demling.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the Belmont Stakes 2021 after a major heater in 2020: At one point last year, he picked the winners of six straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes.
At last year's Belmont, Demling said Tiz the Law was clearly the class of the field, and Barclay Tagg's horse pulled away for a convincing 3 3/4-length victory.
In 2018, he was all over Justify, jockey Mike Smith, and trainer Bob Baffert to make horse racing history at Belmont Park. The result: Justify became just the 13th Triple Crown winner ever, and anyone who followed Demling's lead cashed in too.
Demling is at his best in the biggest horse races in the world. He has hit nine of the last 13 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but four times in the last 13 years. He's also called nine of the last 17 Preakness winners, keenly understanding when the Kentucky Derby winner was poised for victory or a massive upset. Anyone who has followed him is up huge.
Now, with the 2021 Belmont Stakes field finalized, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2021 Belmont Stakes predictions
One surprise: Demling doesn't have Rombauer (3-1) securing the final leg of the Triple Crown after he won the Preakness. Rombauer failed to win in his first three tries on dirt. He also finished behind Essential Quality twice and Hot Rod Charlie once in those races.
Demling also brings up that jockey Flavien Prat, who rode Rombauer to victory at the Preakness, decided to leave the horse to ride Hot Rod Charlie at the 2021 Belmont Stakes instead.
The horse will also only have three weeks of rest, while several other Belmont Stakes contenders will be coming off five weeks of rest. There are just too many variables going against Rombauer, which is why Demling sees better values for 2021 Belmont Stakes bets.
How to make 2021 Belmont States picks, bets
Instead, Demling is especially high on an underdog who "will be in the mix again" at Belmont, giving his backers a huge payday. Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2021? And which underdog is a must-back? Check out the latest 2021 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the Belmont Stakes.
2021 Belmont Stakes odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Essential Quality | 2-1 |
| Rombauer | 3-1 |
| Hot Rod Charlie | 7-2 |
| Rock Your World | 9-2 |
| Known Agenda | 6-1 |
| Bourbonic | 15-1 |
| Overtook | 20-1 |
| France Go de Ina | 30-1 |
