On Saturday, July 6 at Aqueduct, the most important three-year-old grass race of the summer happens: the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby! Though the race has been moved from its usual home due to construction at Belmont Park, it is still going strong at 1 3/16 miles on the Aqueduct grass.
Even though the Belmont Derby only began in 2014, it has quickly built a reputation as one of the best betting horse races of the year. the race is one of the richest and most prestigious grass races of the year. And, alongside the Saratoga Derby (G1) and the Jockey Club Derby, the Belmont Derby is part of the prestigious New York Turf Triple.
Its winners are a top-class list including Deauville (2016), Oscar Performance (2017), Catholic Boy (2018), and Bolshoi Ballet (2021). And, for bettors, it can be a longshot extravaganza, with horses like 26-1 outsider Classic Causeway in 2022!
This is the place to meet the contenders, get best bets, and find out the best places to bet the Belmont Derby online.
2024 Belmont Derby Contenders
These are the contenders for the 2024 Belmont Derby including their trainers, jockeys, and post positions:
- Legend of Time (Charlie Appleby/William Buick)
- White Palomino (Chad Brown/Flavien Prat)
- Royal Majesty (Bill Mott/Junior Alvarado)
- Trikari (Graham Motion/John Velazquez)
- Endlessly (Michael McCarthy/Umberto Rispoli)
Closer to the day of the race, Aqueduct will release a morning line. It can be a decent guide to which horses are expected to take money or not, but since prices on track are not final until post time, the morning line is no guarantee of an actual price if your horse wins.
You have a much better option: betting the Belmont Derby at a trusted online racebook. Since online racebooks offer fixed-odds wagering on major races, you get to lock in the best price the moment you place a wager instead of having to weather odds fluctuations closer to post time. Then, just watch the race, confident that you know what you’ll get when you win!
 |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legend of Time | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| White Palomino | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Endlessly | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Trikari | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Royal Majesty | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Betting the Belmont Derby Online
There are many options for betting online, so making a choice can seem difficult at first. However, we are here to help! Our expert betting site reviews show you sites with trusted payouts, real Las Vegas odds, and great user interfaces. The reviews also show you what bonuses each site offers, so you can make the most profitable choice quickly!
Remember that taking a quick few minutes to compare online betting bonuses can help you build your bankroll by hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of cash or bonus bets. Different sites have structures that benefit different kinds of bettors, so read our reviews and find the best sign-up bonuses, deposit bonuses, and horse racing rebates for the way you play!
These are the best places to bet the Belmont Derby online!
Belmont Derby Handicapping
Now that you know where you will be betting the race, it is time to get to know the best horses for your Belmont Derby bets:
Belmont Derby Best Bet
The best bet in the Belmont Derby is Trikari. He is an up-and-coming horse who should handle the ground well and get the right trip.
In a shorter field, speed is dangerous. Trikari is fast enough to make the lead if he wants, but can also win from a stalking trip if he needs to. He also drew outside of the other possible speed in the race, which can help him get a clean trip.
With rain in the forecast on Friday and Saturday, a horse who can handle some cut in the ground will be in a good place. Trikari won the American Turf (G2) after a rainy week at Churchill Downs, proving that some give in the ground does not faze him. And, though he was a 47-1 long shot that day, the Graham Motion trainee came back to run a good third over a shorter trip in the Penn Mile (G2), proving he was no fluke.
Belmont Derby Exotics Horses
If Trikari does not make the top at first, White Palomino probably does. The Chad Brown trainee set the pace in the Pennine Ridge (G2), the local prep for this race, before just getting caught late by Legend of Time.
However, that came over firm ground -- with more cut in the ground Legend of Time faltered in the American Turf, while White Palomino broke his maiden on Kentucky-good ground at Keeneland. This gives White Palomino an excellent chance of turning the tables on that foe, who fits the profile of a European looking for the firm footing he won't get here.
Among the rest, Royal Majesty has the most appeal. Even if he has to rally he will be sitting closer to the pace than Endlessly, who does his better work at a deep closer. And, Royal Majesty also has an allowance win over good ground in Kentucky. This also gives him an advantage over Endlessly, whose only turf races have come over the extremely firm footing in California.
Royal Majesty's credible third in the Pennine Ridge suggests he can run a good race sitting a little closer than he did in that allowance win, and the extra distance should suit his pedigree beautifully.
Belmont Derby Best Bets
You’ve done everything but the most fun part of all: placing your bet for the Belmont Derby. These are the expert-recommended best bets for the highlight of the sophomore turf racing season:
- $20 to win - #4 Trikari
- $1 exacta key - #4 Trikari with #2 White Palomino and #3 Royal Majesty
