Preakness 2015 Winner: American Pharoah's Easy Victory Ensures Triple Crown

American Pharoah entered the Preakness Stakes as a prohibitive favorite and lived up to that promise by finishing seven lengths in front of Tale of Verve to capture his second consecutive Triple Crown race. 

All eyes immediately turn to the Belmont Stakes and the hope that American Pharoah can give horse racing its first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. As dangerous as it is to expect that history will happen, nothing about the Bob Baffert-trained horse suggests anyone is going to stop him. 

While fully admitting that making an iron-clad prediction weeks before the field is set can lead to drastic changes, as long as American Pharoah is in Belmont Park on June 6, there's no reason to expect anything other than a win for this special horse. 

Just look at what American Pharoah did to the field at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore in rain-soaked conditions that should have hindered his footing on the track:

Not that stats are needed to support a win like that, but ESPN Stats & Info noted American Pharoah's start on a sloppy track was better than Affirmed's in 1978 on an excellent track:

The race was never in doubt for American Pharoah, who seemed to have a disadvantage by starting out of the first gate. That made jockey Victor Espinoza's job more difficult because he needed to get out of the gate quickly to avoid being boxed in. 

Having a horse one race from the Triple Crown is nothing new. It happened last year with California Chrome, who wound up finishing fourth at the Belmont Stakes, and this is the 14th time since 1979 that a horse has won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, per SportsCenter:

But there's obviously something different about the way American Pharoah runs that fellow competitors have acknowledged at various points leading up to the two races. 

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who had Mr. Z in the Preakness Stakes, told Dan Wolken of USA Today after the post positions were announced that American Pharoah can succeed from any gate because he's simply more talented than other horses:

"I think it's a challenge for him, but he's the best horse," Lukas said. "I don't care what gate you get, when you're the best horse, you have to feel good. He'll be alright. He has good tactical speed, and he's a very good horse. We could see history made."

When an opposing trainer, especially one as accomplished as Lukas with 14 career victories in the three Triple Crown races, says that history is possible, that speaks volumes about how far American Pharoah can go. 

The Belmont Stakes does provide a new challenge for American Pharoah. It's the longest Triple Crown race at 12 furlongs and marks the third run in five weeks. That's a lot of stamina being asked of the three-year-old superstar. 

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

When the field does come into focus, it will certainly feature multiple horses taking part in their first Triple Crown run. Tonalist took that approach last year to upset California Chrome, though he did have a race mixed in at the Peter Pan Stakes on May 10. 

That could make for an interesting run down the stretch or at least something more competitive than what happened at the Preakness, but it's still going to take a special run by a horse to overcome what American Pharoah has proven he's capable of doing. 

Firing Line had a good chance to knock off American Pharoah at the Kentucky Derby, leading virtually the entire race until the final stretch. American Pharoah breezed down the finish line and had a one-length margin of victory. 

At this point, not even Mother Nature can slow down American Pharoah. The numbers and opposing trainers prove this horse isn't your typical Triple Crown contender. The Belmont Stakes will be his crowning achievement, and horse racing's Triple Crown drought will finally end.