2021 Belmont Stakes morning-line odds, picks: Handicapping wunderkind offers bet strategy for the final leg of the Triple Crown

One year after leading off the Triple Crown series in a horse racing season revamped because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Belmont Stakes returns to its normal spot on the calendar on Saturday with the 153rd running at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Brad Cox-trained Essential Quality is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the 2021 Belmont Stakes odds. Post time is 6:49 p.m. ET. 

Before you make any Belmont Stakes picks, you NEED to see what handicapping wunderkind Matt Bernier has to say.

Bernier is one of the country's most recognizable horse racing analysts. An on-air contributor to NBC's horse racing telecasts and the host of The Matt Bernier Show podcast, Bernier first gained renown in 2013 when, at 23 years old, he became the youngest qualifier at the time to qualify for the National Horseplayers Championship. He parlayed that success into a spot on the reality TV show Horseplayers, which followed professional horseplayers around the country.

Two of his biggest scores came in 2014. In the prestigious Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge that year Bernier finished sixth, earning $61,000 for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance charity. Later that year he won $40,000 after winning the Aqueduct handicapping championship.

He also has cashed some Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks future bets at enormous odds, including 75-1 on I'll Have Another in 2012, 75-1 on Orb in 2013 and 35-1 on Shedaresthedevil in 2020. 

Now, he has handicapped the 2021 Belmont Stakes field, made his picks and constructed his bets. 

One shocker: Bernier is low on the chances of Rombauer, even though he is the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. "There is also the scenario in which he "bounces" following such an outstanding effort in the Preakness, regressing to a number that is simply too slow to get the job done at this distance and against a field of this caliber," Bernier tells SportsLine. Bernier is not using Rombauer on any of his tickets.

However, Bernier's top pick is a long shot who "looks primed and ready to fire his best shot." Bernier is including this horse in his 2021 Belmont Stakes bets, and so should you. You ABSOLUTELY need to see his picks before locking in any of your own!

What long shot wins the 2021 Belmont Stakes? And how has Bernier constructed his wagers?... Join SportsLine right now to get the top 2021 Belmont Stakes picks and bets, all from the handicapping wunderkind who has crushed on racing's biggest days!