Belmont Stakes 2022 Horses and Jockeys with Best Chance at Elmont Race

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Many of the jockeys who will be competing in Saturday’s race have won the Belmont Stakes previously in their careers.

Jose Ortiz, who will be riding the sole filly, Nest, won with Tapwrit in 2017. He has also experienced the most recent Triple Crown success of the group, having just won the Preakness with Early Voting.

Fillies haven’t historically emerged victorious in the Belmont Stakes, however, winning just three times.

Mo Donegal’s jockey Irad Oritz Jr., Jose’s older brother, won the Belmont Stakes with Creator in 2016. Widely regarded as the best jockey in North America, this season Irad tops all riders in both wins and earnings.

Joel Rosario, who is riding Barber Road, has won twice, with Tonalist in 2014 and Sir Winston in 2019, which came as a surprise. He is the Belmont Park veteran of the group, having ridden in the Belmont Stakes 10 previous times.

The next most appearances is seven, by both Ortiz brothers.

Manny Franco, riding Skippylongstocking, most recently won at Belmont Park in 2020 with Tiz the Law.

It’s worth noting, however, that the race was shortened to 1 1/8 miles that year and also kicked off the Triple Crown series, due to COVID-19. He has two previous rides in the Belmont Stakes.

We mentioned previously that We the People has a favorable post position this year. The three-year-old’s jockey, Flavien Prat, is still looking for his first Belmont Stakes win, but came close last year on Hot Rod Charlie.

And then, of course, there’s 32-year-old Sonny Leon, who was instrumental in Rich Strike’s long-shot win in the Kentucky Derby.

Leon has never raced at Belmont Park before, and some experts aren’t sure Rich Strike has another upset in him given the makeup of the field for this race, which has fewer speedy horses than the Derby did (and thus may limit Rich Strike’s ability to, er, strike at the last minute).

But Leon displayed some of the most dazzling riding in recent memory on the Triple Crown circuit in the first jewel, and it would be a mistake to underestimate him heading into the final one.