Casino Drive is playing the spoiler role at the 2008 Belmont Stakes

In what is shaping up to be a cold exacta for horse racing bettors, the June 7th Belmont Stakes has added another element of intrigue to the mix: Edgar Prado. Jockeys from around the country were bidding for the rights to climb aboard Casino Drive, the horse believed to be this year’s Triple Crown spoiler, but in the end experience won and Prado was given the honors. (Prado who rode Barbaro to victory at the 2006 Kentucky Derby, but he’s got over 6,000 wins under his whip. For all his achievements, Prado will be inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York, this August.)

“We decided at about noon,” racing manager Nobutaka Tada said. “We had many jockeys who wanted to ride him and that was very encouraging to us. There are so many good jockeys in America, but we decided we wanted a New York-based rider. Prado knows pace, he has the experience, having won two Belmonts, and he’s a patient rider. So, we’re very happy.”

Jockey Kent Desormeaux will be riding Belmont Stakes (and Triple Crown) favorite Big Brown, but admits this race will showcase two very capable winners. “It’s an absolute cold exacta,” Desormeaux said.

Meaning, what we’ve got here is the number one and number two horses…and according to Desormeaux, he’ll be riding the better of the two horses.

While everyone else is betting on Big Brown, you may find more value in Casino Drive.

Big Brown has thrilled racing fans during the first two jewels of the Triple Crown, and he seems invincible going into the Belmont Stakes. But there’s a lot of talk about a horse out of Japan named Casino Drive beating Big Brown in the final jewel.

Casino Drive has run two races, winning both by wide margins. He will be rested for four weeks going into the Belmont, and his pedigree (a half sibling to two previous Belmont winners, Jazil and Rags to Riches) points to him being stronger at longer distances.

The only thing not going Casino Drive’s way is that he’ll have a new jockey for the Belmont. Kent Desormeaux has been his jockey to date, but he’ll be riding Big Brown for a chance at history. Casino Drive has impressed enough that he is getting Belmont Stakes odds of 9/2 against Big Brown, who’s getting 2/7 at this point.