Belmont Stakes Entries 2014: Horses in the Field Best Suited for Belmont Track

No matter which way you look at it, the 2014 Belmont Stakes will be defined by California Chrome's outcome. The chestnut colt has a chance to become the first horse in 36 years to win all three legs of the Triple Crown, and he will become an American hero of sorts if he can take first place on Saturday in Elmont, New York.

However, California Chrome might not be the horse best suited for the longest track in the Triple Crown series.

As New York Racing Association analyst Richard Migliore points out, via Cathy Rainone of NBCBayArea.com, California Chrome lacks crucial experience heading into Belmont Park. 

“Out of the 11 Triple Crown winners, all competed at Belmont Park before the final Triple Crown race,” Migliore said. "Obviously California Chrome needs to win, but he never ran at Belmont before.”

This raises the question: If California Chrome isn't ready for Belmont Park, which horses are?

These magnificent beasts are sensitive creatures, and on a track as long as Belmont Park, the slightest misstep can magnify over time and leave the horse with too much ground to make up.

Pedigree is crucial to analyzing these horses. Some horses were sired by true sprinters, while others are the offspring of sturdier colts suited for the long haul.

Let's take a look at some of the horses well-equipped to overtake California Chrome on the track at Belmont Park.

Wicked Strong

Wicked Strong began his career with two maiden special-weight races at Belmont Park in late 2013. He finished first in the latter race but came up short in his next three races.

However, he bolstered his strong resume with a commanding victory at the Wood Memorial Stakes (Grade 1) on April 5. Combine those results with a fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, and Wicked Strong has arguably the best combination of Grade 1 racing experience and Belmont Park familiarity.

BloodHorse.com's Steve Haskin thinks Wicked Strong looks as healthy as ever in preparation for the Belmont.

Wicked Strong will have to show that he has more stamina than his sire, Hard Spun. As Bloodhorse.com's Anne Peters writes:

"

A stakes winner at 2, Wicked Strong’s sire Hard Spun was a gutsy front-runner, and his speed carried him to a second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) behind Street Sense, and third in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) behind Curlin and Street Sense, but he was not a true stayer.

"

Those heady results are difficult to argue with, but the last line of Peters' analysis is crucial. Wicked Strong may live up to his namesake in just about every single way, but it is going to take some wicked stamina for him to come up victorious in Elmont, New York.

Tonalist

If a Belmont Stakes win is going to come down to track experience, then Tonalist should be in the thick of the conversation surrounding potential winners.

As one of the new shooters set to take a post position in Elmont, Tonalist has flown under the radar heading into the Triple Crown finale. Tonalist's last race came on May 10, a resounding win in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park.

He took to the inside part of the track, galloped out to an early lead and never looked back. As you can see in the video, his smooth stride never faltered, and he even widened the gap a bit after the one-mile mark.

The ability to push the pace at the Belmont Stakes will be key to a Tonalist victory. Jockey Joel Rosario—who rode Tonalist in the Peter Pan Stakes—will have to be careful not to run his colt ragged before the final 1/4 mile.

He may be better off drafting a bit and holding Tonalist back behind the front-runners a little bit longer than usual on Saturday. This might conserve enough energy for Tonalist to make a later run and push the pace the rest of the way.

Commanding Curve

Morry Gash/Associated Press

After a second-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, Commanding Curve's camp decided to hold its trusty thoroughbred out of the Preakness Stakes.

It wanted to be as fresh as possible heading into the Triple Crown finale and hopes the energy conserved will give Commanding Curve the extra push he needs to overtake California Chrome on the 1 1/2-mile track at Belmont Park.

Trainer Dallas Stewart isn't one to mince words when it comes to his expectations for the Belmont. Via Alicia Wincze Hughes of the Lexington Herald-Leader, Stewart said: "I'm a fan of California Chrome, but we have a job to do: to go out and win the Belmont. And I think we have the right horse."

Like California Chrome, Commanding Curve will have to overcome a lack of experience at Belmont Park.

However, Commanding Curve doesn't face the same heavy Triple Crown expectations. The Derby runner-up just needs to be prepared to make the same excellent late push that nearly derailed California Chrome's Triple Crown aspirations before they even started.