Prospective Belmont Stakes Participants: Essential Insights and Details
Remixed Race for the 2024 Belmont Stakes
Saddle up, race fans! The intense competition for the Triple Crown's final leg in 2024 is revving up. Among the talented three-year-olds vying for glory at Saratoga on June 8 will be the Belmont Stakes contenders.
A historic twist comes this year as the Spa takes on the hosting duties of the Belmont Stakes, due to Belmont Park's ongoing renovations. Although the distance of the race is shorter at 1 1⁄4 miles instead of 1 1⁄2 miles, was it ever enough to hold back the contenders? Let's meet the leading horses that dare to take on the challenge.
Mystic Dynamo
Trainer Kenneth McPeek has been vocal about Mystic Dynamo's path throughout the season, leaving few doubts about his intentions for the Belmont Stakes. This charismatic three-year-old made waves with his thrilling win in the G3 Southwest Stakes in February, following that with a surprising third-place finish behind Muth in the G1 Arkansas Derby.
However, it was Churchill Downs that truly showcased Mystic Dynamo's might. Defeating Sierra Leone by a nose, he claimed the coveted victory in the Kentucky Derby. Although he faltered in the Preakness Stakes, losing by over two lengths to Seize The Grey, hopes are still high for this exciting colt to steal the show in his bid for Triple Crown glory.
Want to back Mystic Dynamo for the win? Head to twinspires.com/belmont-stakes/betting/ to place your bets.
Seize the Moment
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas announced this week that Seize the Moment will make an appearance in the Belmont Stakes this year. Famed for his four successful Triple Crown victories, Lukas aiming to add to his impressive record with Seize the Moment in 2024.
Showing an impressive form in the Preakness Stakes, Seize the Moment proved his mettle by besting Mystic Dynamo. This was the second consecutive stakes race he won, following his victory in the G2 Pat Day Mile by over a length on the Derby undercard in May. However, some question if the Belmont Stakes distance could challenge the young colt.
Fiery Ambition
Heavily lauded by trainer Todd Pletcher for his outstanding two-year-old season, Fiery Ambition looked set to rule the racing world. Despite faltering in the G3 Holy Bull in February, he demonstrated his natural prowess in the G1 Florida Derby by blazing a stunning speed rating to win by 13 lengths.
Things did not go as planned at Churchill Downs for Fiery Ambition. As the pre-Derby favorite, he could only manage a 15th-place finish, 25 lengths behind Mystic Dynamo. However, with a return to his best form, Fiery Ambition remains a strong contender.
Silver Serenade
Chad Brown has had quite the knack for nurturing Triple Crown winners this season, with both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes on his radar. In the Belmont Stakes, he's bringing in Silver Serenade, a horse that's surely among the best three-year-olds in the U.S. This consistent runner has not yet finished outside of the first two in five career starts.
While he was just inches away from a Derby victory, he was a more deserving second place in the eyes of many. Boasting The G1 Blue Grass Stakes and G2 Risen Star under his belt, Silver Serenade is poised for another impressive bid at Saratoga.
Timeless Memento
Todd Pletcher-trained Timeless Memento is a progressive contender who could pull off an exciting upset in the betting at Saratoga. With the Peter Pan Stakes often being a stepping stone for Belmont Stakes success, Timeless Memento joins an elite list of horses that could pump fresh blood into the Belmont Stakes.
Narrowly defeating The Wine Steward by under a length in the Peter Pan Stakes, Timeless Memento showed his resilience in the final stretch. With two career victories in four starts, this young contender is likely to see improvement in the demanding Belmont Stakes.
So, who's your pick to triumph at the 2024 Belmont Stakes? Remeber to have fun, and may the best horse win!
Despite McPeek's ambitions for Mystic Dynamo in the Belmont Stakes, racing aficionados can't ignore Seize the Moment's impressive form in the racing circuit, especially in the Preakness Stakes where he edged past Mystic Dynamo. In the 2024 Belmont Stakes, horse-racing enthusiasts might witness a fierce competition between these two prominent contenders.
