Belmont Stakes 2012 Horses: Breaking Down the Best and Worst of Field

The field for this year's Belmont Stakes features a few thoroughbreds and the horses who will chase them. Like every race, there are contenders and pretenders.

Obvious contenders include Triple-Crown hopeful I'll Have Another, Dullahan and Union Rags. Horses like Guyana Star Dweej and Five Sixteen will spend their Saturday frantically trying to keep pace with these formidable colts.

The final leg of the 2012 Triple-Crown series is nearly here. Let's break down the best, and worst, horses from this year's field. We'll start with the best.

I'll Have Another

I'll Have Another will have America's eyes plastered to his lustrous coat. His Triple-Crown hopes hinge on Belmont's one-and-a-half mile marathon.

Mario Gutierrez and his impressive horse won the first two Triple-Crown legs with triumphant charges down the backstretch. Neither horse, nor jockey, shy away from horse racing's momentous moments.

Every horse in this year's field will be gunning for I'll Have Another. He will need to stave off 11 other contenders if he wishes to follow in Affirmed's footsteps.

He is known for his incredible sprinting speed. Now, he must adjust to a longer length and larger expectations.

If he can adjust, and figure out his timing, I'll Have Another will make good on the ultimate aspiration.

Union Rags

Union Rags is led by Michael Matz and John Velazquez. Both are accomplished horse handlers but have disappointed thus far.

He entered the Kentucky Derby as a favorite but wound up finishing seventh. He could not get a fast start out of the gate, and he failed to separate himself from the pack.

Union Rags enters the Belmont Stakes as one of the race's favorites. He has won one major race in his entire career, but his mixture of speed and endurance bode well for him in Saturday's contest.

If Union Rags wants to spoil I'll Have Another's race, he will need a clean start. Starting slow from the gates will kill Union Rags' momentum and not allow him to break free.

Dullahan

Remember Dullahan's third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Dullahan has raced this Triple Crown season in the shadows of Bodemeister and I'll Have Another. He enters the Belmont as one of the race's top entries but is often overlooked.

He will start from the No. 5 post position. This could hurt his attempt to find open space, but Belmont's track offers plenty of time to change that. The one-and-a-half mile track will work in Dullahan's favor.

This race will be Dullahan's 10th career contest. He must use that experience to his advantage in his quest to spoil I'll Have Another's Triple Crown attempt.

Now, let's move on to the horses who will bring up the rear on Saturday.

Ravelo's Boy

Facing long-shot odds and a meager reputation, Ravelo's Boy will attempt to make a name for himself on Saturday.

He has not finished first this year and has not raced in three months. He finished fifth in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.

Ravelo's Boy is not getting much talk leading up to the race, and he probably won't on race day either. He has not been a contender in his last three major races, and his pedigree does not bring a lot of stamina to the table.

None of this encourages Belmont victory.

Five Sixteen

Five Sixteen is one of the most intriguing horses in this year's field but not for his on-track ability. He is being ridden by the only female jockey in the Belmont field.

In terms of talent, Five Sixteen does not bring much to the table. He has one first-place finish in his career.

The Belmont Stakes is a far cry from horse racing's allowance contests. Horses who enjoyed major success at the allowance level may have had a chance to contend, but Five Sixteen didn't.

He is in for a long race on Saturday.

Guyana Star Dweej

If Frank Zappa had a horse, I am confident he would name it Guyana Star Dweej. The interesting observations regarding this colt stop there.

He has raced in six allowance races this year. He hasn't finished lower than fourth and managed to win a one-mile race at Aquifer Racetrack.

However, the Belmont's stage and field is much more competitive. Winning allowance races is not remotely comparable to the Belmont's excruciating distance.

Look for Guyana Star Dweej to bring up the rear on Saturday