Belmont Stakes odds 2016: Exaggerator could be challenged by Suddenbreakingnews, Stradivari

The growing rivalry between Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator may not be continuing in the 2016 Belmont Stakes on Saturday, but oddsmakers are expecting a fairly close race nonetheless.

Exaggerator, who took second in the Kentucky Derby and won the Preakness to hand Nyquist his first loss of his career, is the favorite in the most recent odds, according to the sportsbooks at Bovada. He currently stands at 5-4 odds (9-5 morning line) to win the $1.5 million, 1-1/2-mile race.

Nyquist’s trainers decided to keep the horse from running in the final Triple Crown race, which will be held at Elmont, N.Y. with an official post time of 6:37 p.m. ET. It was expected by many pundits that Exaggerator, known for his late kick and ability to conserve energy until the final stretch of the track, would be the favorite even if the Derby winner had stayed in the lineup.

The expectation that the weather could bring rain showers to the track only helps Exaggerator’s odds as he has run three of his best career races, including his victory in the Preakness, on wet and muddy tracks.

The absence of the Kentucky Derby winner hasn’t prevented oddsmakers from finding several competitors they expect to do well in the Belmont Stakes. Both Suddenbreakingnews and the speedy Stradivari have 7-1 odds (10-1 and 5-1 morning line, respectively) while Destin comes into race day at 8-1 (6-1) and Cherry Wine at 9-1 (8-1) odds.

Suddenbreakingnews was the fifth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby and is considered a possible upset pick thanks to the longer track and ability to keep a steady pace throughout a race. Cherry Wine is also expected to do well with the extra length, and had a good showing in the Preakness Stakes when he came from behind to pass Nyquist for second place.

Stradivari finished fourth in the Preakness after some initial chatter of a possible upset, and Destin was sixth in the Kentucky Derby.

The field starts to taper off from there, with Governor Malibu and Brody’s Cause holding 14-1 odds and Lani and Creator at 16-1. Longshots Gettysburg, Seeking the Soul, Forever d’Oro and Trojan Nation all have 40-1 odds as of 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

NBC will televise the Belmont Stakes beginning at 5 p.m. ET, and provide streaming coverage at NBC Sports Live Extra. You can watch coverage of the undercard on NBCSN beginning at 3 p.m. NBC Sports Live Extra will steam that, as well.