Belmont Stakes contender Icabad Crane has yet to miss the board in 5 career starts with a record: 5-3-0-2.   On 3/22 at Turfway park he ran 3rd in the Rush Away Stakes.  He was the 3rd choice that day at 3 1/2 to 1.  He was five wide around the first turn, he koved a bit closer in the 5 path on the second turn and then drove up the rail to get 3rd.  He came back to race on 4/19, the Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse which he won as the favorite that day.  He was unhurried early in the race like he usually is, and they made a move at top of the stretch to engage the leader dueling down to the line and got up by a head. Early betting odds at SportsBetting.com have Icabad Crane at 18 to 1 for the Belmont Stakes.

Icabad Crane's recent race was the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecource.  He finished 3rd the day at 23 to 1.  If you have read my article on this horse the week of the race, I said this horse would hit the board which he did just missing getting 2nd.  He broke good and settles along the inside, commenced a rail run entering the far turn.  He steadied a bit when lacking room on the turn, he angled out near the quarter pole, then split horses and was flying late to get a share.  Icabad Crane has yet to be off the board in his 5 starts so you must use him in your triples and superfecta plays.  Value: With Big Brown getting the lion’s share of the wagering and Casino Drive, Denis of Cork, and Tale of Ekati all taking money, his odds are going to go way up. 

The Jockey that will be riding Icabad Crane will be Jeremy Rose.  He rode Afleet Alex to victories in the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby as the favorite.  He earned his 1,000th career victory on July 3, 2005 at Delaware Park.  He rides the Mid-Atlantic circuit primarily at Delaware Park and Maryland tracks. 

 Big Brown could take the Triple Crown; make sure you bookmark OnlineSportsHandicapping.com for all your premiere Triple Crown horse racing previews and news.

All posted odds are online odds provided by SportsBetting.com 

1. Big Brown   Kent Desormeaux Rick Dutrow Jr.   1-3

2. Guadalcanal TBA   Fred Seitz    40-1

3. Macho Again    Garrett Gomez    Dallas Stewart    15-1

4. Denis of Cork    Robby Albarado    David Carroll    10-1

5. Casino Drive    Edgar Prado       Kazuo Fujisawa    5-2

6. Da' Tara          Alan Garcia          Nick Zito          25-1

7. Tale of Ekati       Eibar Coa          Barclay Tagg       18-1

8. Anak Nakal       Julien Leparoux    Nick Zito          25-1

9. Ready's Echo    John Velazquez    Todd Pletcher        251

10. Icabad Crane    Jeremy Rose       Graham Motion    18-1

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