The 2020 Belmont Stakes already was going to be one of the most memorable horse races in recent history, but now it could be contested without one of the primary pre-race favorites. Charlatan, who at 4-1 is near the top of the 2020 Belmont Stakes odds, may not be able to participate after reportedly testing positive for a banned substance after winning the Arkansas Derby earlier in May. Fellow Bob Baffert-trainee Nadal, who was also listed as one of the top 2020 Belmont Stakes favorites, will reportedly be retired due to a fracture.

Florida Derby winner Tiz The Law is the overall 2-1 favorite in the latest Belmont odds 2020. But is backing a favorite the way to go, or are you better off looking down the odds board to find a winner? Before making any horse racing picks, you'll want to see the latest 2020 Belmont Stakes predictions from SportsLine's Jody Demling.

A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2020 Belmont Stakes on a major heater on his horse racing picks. He has the picked the winner in five straight races: the Saudi Cup, Gotham Stakes, Rebel Stakes, Louisiana Derby and Florida Derby.

This is the same handicapper who hit the Oaks-Derby double at Churchill Downs nine times in the last 11 years. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby all but twice in his last 11 tries.

And when it comes to the Belmont, Demling has delivered plenty of memorable paydays. In 2017, he said 5-1 sleeper Tapwrit would beat the heavily-favored Irish War Cry. Demling was spot-on, winning not just his exacta, but also his trifecta and superfecta, which paid out nearly $4,500 on a $2 bet. In 2018 Demling was all-in on Justify to dominate the Belmont, and Justify went wire-to-wire to become just the 13th Triple Crown winner ever.

Now, Demling has released his early picks for the 2020 Belmont Stakes, predicting where every horse will finish.He's sharing all of it at SportsLine.

One surprise: Demling says Charlatan, one of the top Vegas favorites who's 3-for-3 in his career, barely hits the board. The son of Speighstown, Charlatan "is super talented" but needs to mature more, according to Demling. He believes Charlatan could be ready to shine later this year, but isn't worth the 4-1 premium you'll need to pay for him right now.

Another curveball: Demling is high on Maxfield, even though he's an underdog at 5-1 Belmont odds 2020. The son of Street Sense has not lost when he has taken the starting gate. In fact, Maxfield's three-race winning streak includes the Matt Winn Stakes just last week at Churchill Downs. Under jockey Jose Ortiz, Maxfield closed strong to overtake Ny Traffic in the closing stages of the 1 1/16-mile race and claimed 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Before that, Maxfield was victorious in a maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs in September 2019 and the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October. Brendan Walsh has trained plenty of standout horses in his career, and Maxfield is certainly showing promise heading into the 2020 Triple Crown season. Demling believes Maxfield has a "a solid shot in the Belmont" and should be in your 2020 Belmont Stakes bets.

Demling is high on a double-digit long shot, calling him a terrific closer who will be "flying in the end."He's only sharing which horse to back, and his entire projected 2020 Belmont Stakes leaderboard, here.

Which horse wins the Belmont Stakes 2020? And which double-digit long shot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2020 Belmont Stakes odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the 2020 Belmont Stakes, and find out.

Tiz the Law 2-1Charlatan 4-1 Maxfield 5-1 Dr. Post 11-1 Mischevious Alex 12-1 Sole Volante 15-1Gouverneir Morris 16-1 Honor A.P. 18-1 Max Player 20-1 Farmington Road 22-1 Basin 25-1 Modernist 28-1 Wells Bayou 28-1

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Belmont Stakes odds, predictions 2020: Surprising picks from unbiased expert who's nailed five straight races - CBS Sports