As the 6:37 p.m. post time for the 2016 Belmont Stakes approaches, it is clear who the favorites of the gambling public are.
Belmont Stakes 2016 odds: Exaggerator, Suddenbreakingnews still favorites to win
The bets keep pouring in, but Exaggerator and Suddenbreakingnews have managed to remain the favorites of the betting populace as they look to win the 2016 Belmont Stakes.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Exaggerator has not given up the top spot since being chosen as the odds-on favorite with a 9-5 morning line and has climbed to 6-5 odds as the day has worn on, earning the lion’s share of the $4,643,525 that has been bet on the race as of 5 p.m. ET.
That should come as no surprise to anyone who has been following the career trajectory of the 2016 Preakness Stakes winner. After falling to Nyquist several times, Exaggerator used his ability to run well in wet and muddy conditions to earn victory and dethrone his previously-undefeated rival.
Though Nyquist has been forced to withdraw from this year’s Belmont Stakes due to fever and increased white blood cell counts, Exaggerator was likely to be chosen as the favorite nonetheless, and the $$1,698,465 bet in his favor shows that oddsmakers agree. As does SB Nation horse racing expert Kurt Mensching.
Not that he’s undeserving. The horse trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his brother, Hall of Fame jockey Kent, has shown throughout his career he’s strongest at the end of a race. Up until this point, the farthest distance he’s run in an event is the 1-1/4-mile Kentucky Derby in early May. In that, he made a late charge against Nyquist but ran out of distance. Now the question is, can he carry that out over the 1-1/2 miles of the Belmont? Further: If he does, is there any horse in the field capable of hanging with him?
Expected to at least challenge for the win, based on sportsbooks, is Suddenbreakingnews. A morning line of 10-1 already put him near the front of the betting pack, but oddsmakers have been increasing those numbers all day and they currently stand at 5-1. He currently has $639,182 bet in his favor.
Other horses with favorable odds currently are Cherry Wine (8-1), Stradivari (9-1) and Lani (10-1).
One horse that has climbed in the odds standings today has been Creator, who had a morning line of 10-1 and then jumped quite a bit lower as betting went towards other competitors. However, the horse with the farthest outside position has come back over the past couple of hours and is currently 13-1 despite an unfavorable starting position.
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 stream that, as well.
Below are the current odds (as of 5 p.m. Saturday):
| Post Position | Horse | Morning Line | Current Odds |
| 1 | Governor Malibu | 12-1 | 21-1 |
| 2 | Destin | 6-1 | 11-1 |
| 3 | Cherry Wine | 8-1 | 8-1 |
| 4 | Suddenbreakingnews | 10-1 | 5-1 |
| 5 | Stradivari | 5-1 | 9-1 |
| 6 | Gettysburg | 30-1 | 46-1 |
| 7 | Seeking the Soul | 30-1 | 52-1 |
| 8 | Forever d'Oro | 30-1 | 61-1 |
| 9 | Trojan Nation | 30-1 | 65-1 |
| 10 | Lani | 20-1 | 10-1 |
| 11 | Exaggerator | 9-5 | 6-5 |
| 12 | Brody's Cause | 20-1 | 21-1 |
| 13 | Creator | 10-1 | 13-1 |
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