2021 Belmont Stakes morning-line odds, picks: National handicapping champion offers picks for the final leg of the Triple Crown

Trainer Brad Cox can win his first career Triple Crown race when he sends out reigning 2-year-old champion Essential Quality in the 2021 Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The 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 making any 2021 Belmont Stakes picks, you NEED to see how handicapping champion Jonathon Kinchen has broken down the race.

Kinchen is one of the nation's most successful and recognizable horseplayers. An analyst for Fox Sports' America's Day at the Races and co-host of the In the Money Players' Podcast, Kinchen won the National Horseplayers Championship Tour in 2015, a demanding, yearlong series of handicapping events across the country. That same year, he became the only player in history to have both of his entries qualify for the final table of the National Horseplayers Championship.

In addition, Kinchen has scored huge on some of racing's biggest days. In November, he finished second out of 418 contestants in the prestigious Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge, which earned him $215,000 in prize money. After factoring in his profit during the 14 Breeders' Cup races, he took home more than $366,000 on the day!

It's no fluke, either. At the 2015 Kentucky Derby, he cashed for $150,000 after nailing the Pick 6 and a Pick 3 that paid $50,000. Anyone who has followed him is up BIG.

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

We can tell you Kinchen is completely fading Hot Rod Charlie, even though he is the third choice on the morning line, at 7-2. "I don't know if Hot Rod Charlie wants to go the 1½-mile distance," Kinchen tells SportsLine. Kinchen is not using Hot Rod Charlie on any of his tickets.

However, Kinchen's top pick is a horse who should "appreciate the added distance" of the Belmont. He also is high on a long shot who "has a chance" to pull off an upset. You NEED to see Kinchen's analysis before making any Belmont Stakes picks of your own.

So who wins the 2021 Belmont Stakes? What long shot is a MUST-BACK? And how has Kinchen constructed his wagers?... Join SportsLine now to get 2021 Belmont Stakes picks and bets, all from an unmatched handicapping champion who won $366,000 in the 2020 Breeders' Cup and $150,000 on Derby Day in 2015!