Belmont: Predictable, or Upset?

Some season winners are absent from Saturday's Belmont - Street Sense, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Chelokee, Great Hunter. Can Pletcher trained Rags to Riches take advantage?

Hmmm...Hard Spun will have the Belmont Stakes front to himself. Good, or bad? He likes the front, but he likes to run speedy, too. A move from sooner than the mile marker is usually suicide in this race. The too soon move leaves the pacer fatigued in the stretch. Smarty Jones sadly lost that way. Also, Hard Spun has a different jockey. Garrett Gomez replaces Maryland's Mario Pino. Not a good thing in the long Belmont. It's a jockey's race and tactics are crucial. Even a vet rider on a new horse can blow it. Can Garrett rate Hard Spun?

Look out for the Todd Pletcher filly, Rags to Riches. She's got rest, distance breeding, a lighter load, and a small field. She's got style. She's got grace. She's 4-0-0-0. Awesome.

The favorite, Curlin, is still maturing. He'll need expert guidance from Robby Albarado, who gave a command performance in the Preakness. Long way around this Belmont track.

Slew's Tizzy...well, no one's looking, but any colt, or filly, with the name slew in his/her background is a potential game plan buster. You do remember Seattle Slew? A small field (seven, this year) is a wide open recipe for upset.

And upset is where Tiago comes in.

The Belmont field: Post No. 1 - Imawildandcrazyguy: fourth, Kentucky Derby-----Post No. 2 - Tiago: seventh, Kentucky Derby-----Post No. 3 - Curlin: 1st, Preakness Stakes-----Post No. 4 - C P West: fourth, Preakness-----Post No. 5 - Slew's Tizzy: 1st, Lone Star Derby-----Post No. 6 - Hard Spun: third, Preakness-----Post No. 7 - Rags to Riches (filly): 1st, Kentucky Oaks.