The 2022 Belmont Stakes has arrived.
The third and final leg of the Triple Crown kicks off Saturday in Elmont, NY, and if the early odds are any indication, an exciting race is in store.
We The People leads the pack, boasting 2-1 odds in the No. 1 position. Mo Donegal follows at 5-2, Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike sits at 7-2 and Creative Minister owns 6-1 odds.
Last year, Brad Cox’s Essential Quality took home the Belmont Stakes title in 2:27.11 — the second-fastest time since 2016.
For Iowans interested in placing a wager on the Belmont Stakes, here’s everything to know, including how to bet, odds and notes on the horses.
How to bet on the 2022 Belmont Stakes in Iowa
If you’re looking to place an in-person bet, a few casinos in Iowa have you covered for off-track betting:
- Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs
- Prairie Meadows Racetrack & Casino, Altoona
- Wild Rose casinos in Clinton, Emmetsburg and Jefferson
But for Iowans wanting to place a digital wager, they can do using TVG, a simulcast and online horse race betting operator. The company offers a great deal for first-time bettors:
Make a deposit and place your first win-type bet up to $200 on a single horse in any race at any track and get it back as wagering credit within 24 hours if you don’t win. Only the win portion of a win/place, win/show or win/place/show wager will count toward the promotion.
Plus, you’ll get automatically opted into the Money Back Special Promotion when you sign up with TVG — no extra steps required! Get up to $10 back as wagering credit on select races if your horse finishes in 2nd or 3rd. Minimum run qualifications apply.
Be sure to use the promo code RISKFREE
Belmont Stakes odds, post positions
- We The People: 2-1
- Skippylongstocking: 20-1
- Nest: 8-1
- Rich Strike: 7-2
- Creative Minister: 6-1
- Mo Donegal: 5-2
- Golden Glider: 20-1
- Barber Road: 10-1
What to know about We The People, the early favorite
We The People owns the best odds to win the 2022 Belmont Stakes, clocking in at 2-1.
He enters Saturday’s race fresh off a first-place performance in the Peter Pan on May 14, in which he took down Golden Glider and Electability. It wasn’t all that close, either; We The People won with a 10 1/4-length space between him and Golden Glider.
For WinStar Farm CEO, president and racing manager Elliott Walden, it was validation for his horse. Before the Peter Pan, We The People finished seventh in the Arkansas Derby on April 2 and did compete in the Kentucky Derby.
“We’ve always been very high on him,” Walden told Blood Horse after the Peter Pain victory. “We were disappointed in the Arkansas Derby. We understood it, but we had to take a deep breath because we thought we going to go on to the Kentucky Derby. It was nice to see him vindicate himself.”
We The People is a 3-year-old colt owned by Bobby Flay of WinStar Farm LLC and trained by Rodolphe Brisset. Three horses owned by WinStar Farm have won the Belmont Stakes since 2010: Drosselmeyer (2010), Creator (2016) and Justify (2018).
What to know about the other horses competing Saturday
Mo Donegal (5-2) has the second-best odds to win the Belmont Stakes, coming in at 5-2. He’s the Iowa connection in the race as well. Donegal Racing, which owns the horse, is based out of Des Moines. Mo Donegal was purchased by owner Jerry Crawford in 2020. Mo Donegal finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby earlier this year. He’s trained by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who also trains Nest. Worth noting: Pletcher-trained horses have won three Belmont Stakes since 2007 (Rags to Riches (2007), Palace Malice (2013) and Tapwrit (2017).
Rich Strike (7-2) caught the horseracing world by storm just a little more than a month ago with his Kentucky Derby win. The horse faced 80-1 odds ahead of the Triple Crown’s first race. Strike did not compete in the Preakness Stakes, so this is his first race since his historic Kentucky Derby showing.
Creative Minister (6-1) finished third in the Preakness Stakes in late May. He’s owned by Magdalena Racing LLC and trained by Kenneth G. McPeek.
How to watch the Belmont Stakes
NBC networks will cover the 2022 Belmont Stakes. Coverage begins on CNBC at 2 p.m. and runs until 4. From there, coverage switches to NBC from 4-6 p.m.
For streamers, Peacock and the NBC Sports app will also provide coverage of the day’s events.
