Belmont Stakes 2015: Latest Odds, Predictions for the Test of the Champion Race

There is only one focus in the main ahead of the 2015 Belmont Stakes, whether or not American Phaorah can win the Triple Crown.

Following the colt's win on Saturday at Pimlico in the Preakness Stakes, the racing world is hoping that American Pharoah can triumph at Belmont Park and end the 37-year Triple Crown drought.

Affirmed was the last horse to win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont in 1978, and while many have come close since, none have succeeded.

Read on for the latest odds ahead of the race on June 6, and predictions for how the action will play out.

Horse	Odds
American Pharoah	10-11
Frosted	5-1
Materiality	13-2
Mubtaahij	14-1
Carpe Diem	18-1
Divining Rod	20-1
Keen to Ice	22-1
Madefromlucky	22-1
Tale of Verve	25-1
Conquest Curlinate	33-1
Frammento	50-1

American Pharoah to Fail in Triple Crown Bid

American Pharoah's trainer, Bob Baffert, and jockey, Victor Espinoza, have both been here before. Just last year, the pair combined to win the Derby and Preakness with California Chrome before he placed fourth in New York.

Espinoza has ridden Pharoah to perfection on several occasions, not least at a soaking Pimlico, as can be seen below:

American Pharoah has won six races on the bounce since placing fifth in his career opener, but that run is set to come to an end in the Belmont Stakes.

History is against American Pharoah. In the last 37 years it has become seemingly impossible to win the Triple Crown.

The Belmont is longer than the Preakness and Derby at 12 furlongs, and features strong horses who opted out of the Pimlico race, and will thus be fresher.

He will go off the favourite, given a great chance for the Triple Crown, but the hype surrounding the potential ending of such a drought is surely skewing the odds somewhat.

A quick glance at the most recent statistics does not make for good reading if you're an American Pharoah supporter, per Benjamin Morris of FiveThirtyEight:

Pharoah is an impressive horse, with great speed and power. Espinoza is a magnificent jockey and Baffert a genius trainer.

But, as Morris notes, modern-day horses just simply can't get over that final, 12-furlong hurdle in the pursuit of the Triple Crown, and it will be no different, unfortunately, for American Pharoah.

Frosted to Win the Belmont Stakes

There are a whole string of horses from the Kentucky Derby who missed the Preakness and are ready to spring an attack on American Phaorah at the Belmont, per per The Wall Street Journal's Jim Chairusmi:

It is a daunting list of strong and powerful horses, all of whom will be vying to upset the odds and ruin Pharoah's day.

The horse most likely to topple the favourite and win is the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Frosted.

A quick glance at the finishing stretch at Churchill Downs reveals that while American Pharoah was battling Firing Line up front, Frosted was finishing like a train just behind.

He eventually finished fourth, but a couple of more yards and Frosted would have taken third from Dortmund, another furlong and he could have won. 

Frosted will have that extra distance in New York, and as a fantastic closer, will come out on top in the Belmont Stakes in 2015.

He will likely be ridden by Derby jockey Joel Rosario, who rode outsider Tale of Verve to second at Pimlico in an excellent performance.

American Pharoah may be the story, but Frosted will come out on top on race day.