Exaggerator is the odds-on favorite in the 2016 Belmont Stakes with Nyquist not running. As of Friday night, there were just two other horses with odds under 10-to-1 — Preakness runner-up Cherry Wine and Kentucky Derby fifth-place finisher Suddenbreakingnews. Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, unbeaten before the Preakness, will not compete because of a fever and high white blood cell count.
Exaggerator finished second in the Kentucky Derby and won the Preakness, and after the Belmont post position draw was installed as a 9-to-5 favorite on the morning line. His odds have dropped to under even money after early betting action. He will break from gate No. 11, with Kentucky Derby contender Brody's Cause to his outside and wild-card Japanese horse Lani on the inside.
MORE: Best Belmont photos | Belmont records, all-time leaders
The Belmont is among the toughest tests in horse racing, given its distance. None of these horses have ever run 1 1/2 miles in a single race, and many won't ever again. That's why so many Triple Crown hopefuls have fallen short after winning the first two jewels — that long a race with such a short turnaround is incredibly difficult for a 3-year-old horse.
We'll be updating Belmont odds all Saturday long leading up to the race.
Preakness live betting odds, field
Odds as of Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
1. Governor Malibu 22-1
2. Destin 11-1
3. Cherry Wine 8-1
4. Suddenbreakingnews 5-1
5. Stradivari 9-1
6. Gettysburg 47-1
7. Seeking the Soul 53-1
8. Forever d'Oro 62-1
9. Trojan Nation 65-1
10. Lani 10-1
11. Exaggerator 6-5
12. Brody's Cause 21-1
13. Creator 13-1