Outdoors Central

Trainer Todd Pletcher decided to enter Interactif on Monday, and the lineup in Belmont Stakes odds got a bit bigger.

The turf specialist was not anticipated to be inserted in Belmont gambling but the field is so poor that Pletcher needed to take a shot.

Todd Pletcher is the trainer of Super Saver, who earned the Derby this season. In December 1995, Pletcher became a trainer and received his initial victory with Majestic Number in February of 1996 at Gulfstream Park in Florida. In 2005 his stable won nearly $21 million in purses from 10 Grade 1 contests, setting a record for winnings won within a season. He beat his own record the following year when his stable gained more than $27 million in purses. He claimed his 93rd win of the year in October of 1996, breaking another record for the most Stakes win in a year. Another horse he trained, Rags to Riches, became the first filly since 1905 to win the Belmont in 2007.

Belmont Stakes probabilities won’t prefer Interactif but he is certainly a mount who might pull off the upset. The horse was readying for Friday’s Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont so he is right on schedule to race. Interactif was a great turf mount last year as he claimed the With Anticipation and Bourbon Stakes and he was a near 3rd in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Pletcher decided to enter Interactif in Belmont probabilities after the mount looked fantastic going six furlongs in 1:14.29 at Belmont. Pletcher wants to take a prospect since the purse is so high in the Belmont. Since the Belmont does not include Kentucky Derby champ Super Saver or Preakness winner Lookin at Lucky, it might be that the race is there for the taking. There are some good horses in the competition however including Nick Zito’s Ice Box who was second in the Kentucky Derby and Fly Down who claimed the Dwyer Stakes. Zito has won the Belmont 2 times in the past six years with long shot winners in 2004 with Birdstone and in 2008 with Da’Tara.

Another contender in Belmont Stakes odds will be Preakness runner-up First Dude. He ran very well in the Preakness but was not able to hold off Lookin at Lucky. Other contenders include Derby 4th place finisher Make Music for Me. He went 5 furlongs in 1:01.21 at Belmont for trainer Alexis Barba. Dwyer runner-up Drosselmeyer might unquestionably get better after failing as a big favorite. Other mounts in the growing Belmont lineup are Dave in Dixie who will be ridden by Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel, Game on Dude, Spangled Banner, Stately Victor, Stay Put and Uptowncharlybrown. A week ago it was appearing as though a lineup of 10 in Belmont gambling but in the last few days Dave in Dixie and Interactif has been added to the field. If in one of the longshots happens to come through, the late additions could mean greater prices.