Identifying the best horse in a race and the best horse to risk one’s bankroll on from a value standpoint are two different things, and once again that handicapping tenet comes into play in the final leg of this year’s Triple Crown. Nobody will question that Justify is the most accomplished member of the field and strictly the one to beat. But there are just enough reasons to believe he could be vulnerable to not accept a win price that figures to be somewhere in the vicinity of 3-5.

VINO ROSSO was a non-factor in the Kentucky Derby, running ninth with a clean trip, but he is significantly better than he displayed in the slop that afternoon. He seemed to struggle over the off going, with jockey John Velazquez slapping him on the shoulder a few times to no response, and the colt dropped out of contention passing the wire the first time.

The Belmont Stakes wraps up the five-week odyssey that is the Triple Crown, and it’s fitting that the final leg is a 12-furlong battle of attrition, rightfully known as the “Test of the Champion.” Historically, the Belmont is just as much a test of stamina as it is talent, and there’s no reason to believe this year’s edition will be any different. A combination of tactical speed and stamina is a recipe for success in the Belmont, and I believe there to be a horse in this race trained by Bob Baffert that could be the perfect blend of speed and stamina – but his name isn’t Justify.

In addition to being fast and undefeated, JUSTIFY benefits from an ideal pace scenario in his quest for the Triple Crown. The pace-pressing/front-running winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, Justify could be loose on the lead in the Belmont Stakes.

Covering one full lap around Belmont Park’s massive main track can be a daunting task for any horse, let alone one standing on the precipice of becoming racing’s 13th winner of the Triple Crown. Even though we saw American Pharoah win with everything on the line just three short years ago, it is worth remembering that Big Sandy had tripped up more than one aspiring Triple Crown winner prior to 2015, several of them with credentials that were strong enough to make them worthy of the accomplishment.

Horseplayers are going to make mistakes. That’s just part of the game. But in the end, it’s not those mistakes that define you as a player, it’s how you react to them.

Just look at Jason Avila, who won his way into this weekend’s Belmont Stakes Challenge last Sunday via DRF Tournaments.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has won the Kentucky Derby twice and is winless in the Preakness, but when it comes to the Triple Crown series, he saves his best for last.

Pletcher has won the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes three times, and has finished second in the race five times. Last year, he finished first and third with Tapwrit and Patch.

The New York Racing Association will offer a number of guaranteed pools and a pair of two-day daily-double wagers Friday and Saturday.

The Friday card, which includes five stakes, begins at 12:50 p.m. Eastern. There will be a pick four beginning on race 8 that comprises the Grade 2 True North, Grade 2 New York Stakes, Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup, and a maiden race on turf. A minimum pool of $500,000 is assured.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Should Justify win Saturday’s Belmont Stakes and capture the Triple Crown, his connections will be the first recipients of a new-look trophy.

Following American Pharoah’s Triple Crown sweep in 2015, Chris Kay, the president and chief executive of the New York Racing Association, wanted to redesign the Triple Crown trophy. The previous version, Kay said, was only seven inches tall “and didn’t have any distinctive nature to it.”

ELMONT, N.Y. – When a shot for a Triple Crown sweep is alive into the Belmont Stakes, there is absolutely nothing in the game like it. As great as the Breeders’ Cup is, the electric atmosphere sure to be felt Saturday at Belmont Park will surpass anything else you can hope to experience in American racing.

My hope is every racing fan will at least once get to experience Belmont Park on a Belmont Stakes Day with a live Triple Crown opportunity.