2011 Belmont Stakes picks

We've seen a lot of evidence in recent years that pedigree really separates the contenders from the pretenders in the Belmont. Horses with marginal pedigrees for stamina can win other routes, but not the Belmont, and I think Shackleford will come up light on that score. Animal Kingdom is legitimately the horse to beat. His female family has the mile-and-a-half breeding that you rarely see in U.S. horses.

Belmont Stakes selections

1) Animal Kingdom

2) Nehro

3) Shackleford

4) Master of Hounds

Video: Andrew Beyer analyzes the 2011 Belmont Stakes