Belmont Stakes 2012 Field: Breaking Down Most Talked About Horses

Did you know that I'll Have Another will be trying for the elusive Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday?

Of course you did. That is, unless you live under a rock or stumbled upon this article after searching on Google for a cleverly named bar.

The question is, what should we be thinking about the most important horse since Smarty Jones? For that matter, how should we be viewing some of the race's other top contenders?

Glad you asked. Let's take a look.

I'll Have Another

He's the prohibitive favorite at 3-5 odds and the horse that everyone not betting against him will be rooting for. Not since Affirmed in 1978 have we seen a Triple Crown winner, so the chance for history is exciting indeed.

Can he pull it off? Absolutely.

While he won't have a front-runner like Bodemeister to establish the early pace, I'll Have Another is strong enough down the stretch to handle a different race this time around. While the 1.5 mile track can cause headaches for any horse, I believe I'll Have Another can overcome the length increase.

If your gut is telling you to side with I'll Have Another, trust it—he's the horse that should win the Belmont Stakes.

Union Rags

This horse is like the 1990s Buffalo Bills—supremely talented but inclined toward choking on the biggest stages. He finished third at the Florida Derby and seventh at the Kentucky Derby in a race that many had him as the favorite to win alongside Bodemeister.

On pure potential and ability alone, Union Rags is the most likely horse to knock off I'll Have Another.

So why haven't we seen him do so on the big stage?

It's hard to say. However, after not racing at the Preakness, he's fresh. If he doesn't get in his own way, that could be the defining factor in a Triple Crown-spoiling run.

Dullahan

Another horse that didn't run in the Preakness, Dullahan had a far more positive showing in the Derby, where he finished third with a remarkable final push.

At the longer track at the Belmont, the deep-closing ability of Dullahan could be I'll Have Another's downfall.

No horse has shown as much heart or poise down the stretch as I'll Have Another, but no horse has the ability to come from behind the pack and storm to a win quite like Dullahan. I'll Have Another has proven how dangerous he was stalking Bodemeister.

But what happens if he's the one being stalked for a change?

I believe the horse most likely to end this Triple Crown bid is Dullahan. Expect he and I'll Have Another to provide a truly epic finish to this race.

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets are never selected by a shady lottery.