Dollars & Sense: Bet Union Rags to steal the show at Belmont

ELMONT, N.Y. — I’ll Have Another’s tendon injury eliminates the possibility for a historic Belmont Stakes on Saturday evening. But it also drastically changes the race with the horse considered to be the best now scratched.

“We’re going to inherit the role as favorite, but I’d rather him been in there,” said Dale Romans, trainer of Dullahan. “I think we could have competed with him and it would have been a great race.”

Trainers like Chad Brown (Street Life) hadn’t even given thought to how the race will play out without I’ll Have Another, but that’s what most around Belmont Park will be forced to think about leading up to the race, which will obviously still go on.

With I’ll Have Another out, Dullahan is indeed the new favorite at 9-to-5. He’s got a good chance of winning, but he’s no longer the smart play if you want to make money on the Belmont. Union Rags’ Friday workout was impressive, and this could set up to be his race.

After turning my imaginary $100 into $951.70 at the 2011 Preakness, I took a step back at this year’s race, losing $4. If you’re counting, you’d be up $947.70 if betting with me so far.

I’ve been given an imaginary pot of $100 to wager on the Belmont Stakes. This is how I would use the money:

$20 to win Union Rags

$10 to win Paynter

$2 to win Optimizer

$1 exacta box Union Rags-Optimizer-Dullahan-Guyana Star Dweej-Paynter ($20)

$1 trifecta box Union Rags-Dullahan-Optimizer-Paynter ($24)

$1 superfecta box Union Rags-Dullahan-Optimizer-Paynter ($24)

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