Belmont Stakes 2015: Updated Odds for Top Contenders in 3rd Leg of Triple Crown

All eyes are on Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah prior to the highly anticipated 2015 Belmont Stakes.

The colt was extremely impressive during the first two legs of the Triple Crown, overcoming unfavorable starting positions and strong fields to enter New York with the opportunity to take horse racing's most coveted and elusive prize. Although, while Pharoah may be the favorite in Elmont, the odds are against him.

Since Affirmed last won the Triple Crown in 1978, a total of 13 horses have won the first two jewels only to leave Belmont Park empty-handed. Will Pharoah outlast his fresh-legged opposition in the lengthy 1 1/2-mile race to finally buck the trend? Vegas oddsmakers seem to like his chances.

Here's a look at the Belmont's updated odds, via Odds Shark, and an overview of the race's top contenders.

Belmont Stakes Odds

Horse	Odds
American Pharoah	1-1
Frosted	5-1
Materiality	15-2
Mubtaahij	14-1
Carpe Diem	16-1
Madefromlucky	22-1
Keen Ice	25-1
Divining Rod	25-1
Tale of Verve	28-1
Conquest Curlinate	33-1
War Story	33-1
Frammento	50-1

Top Contenders

American Pharoah

Even money to win the Belmont, Pharoah is the favorite once again—and the honor is well-deserved.

Despite a starting position that forced him to make up plenty of additional ground during the Kentucky Derby, the colt left Churchill Downs with a hard-fought win.

A combination of great acceleration out of the gate and the ability to maintain stamina despite a brisk pace and finish with some impressive closing speed were all on display in that sparkling run; although, he may have been even more impressive in the Preakness.

At Pimlico, Pharoah was tasked with starting on the inside against the rail. He showed his early acceleration once more, bursting past the traffic and into the lead position before the first turn. Still in front around the final turn, the colt was asked to run hard, and he complied, speeding down the muddy track to take the race by an impressive seven lengths.

The Belmont's 1 1/2-mile distance will be Pharoah's biggest obstacle. He's the most talented horse in the field, and his chances of winning will come down to how much fatigue he shows during the lengthy race. So far, he hasn't shown a reason to doubt his stamina.

Frosted

Frosted is an interesting Belmont contender. The colt has been rather unpredictable during his short career, starting eight races but only winning two. Despite that lackluster record, he's always found himself in the mix and most recently finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

While Frosted's fourth-place finish at Churchill Downs doesn't seem overwhelmingly impressive, keep in mind that he was caught up in traffic early in the race and spent most of the duration near the rear of the pack. Finally, with the lead horses rounding the final turn, he began to pick up the pace, taking to the outside and passing the bulk of the field to finish just behind third-place horse Dortmund.

That's not the first time we've seen some immense speed from Frosted, as he previously earned a two-length victory in the Wood Memorial in a blazing race. Now, well-rested after skipping the Preakness, this hard-running colt could be a serious challenger to Pharoah's Triple Crown bid.

Materiality

Materiality was expected to be a major contender in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness; however, it wasn't to be for the colt. After getting caught up in some early traffic at Churchill Downs, the horse fell way behind the lead pack, dashing his chances of competing from the beginning. Although, he was able to make a late run and still finished sixth.

Later, at Pimlico, Materiality was one of four horses trainer Todd Pletcher decided to scratch from the Preakness, as his intent was to focus on the Belmont Stakes. While that decision kept Materiality out of the Triple Crown's middle jewel, it allowed the horse some much-needed rest, and he'll be heading to Elmont much fresher as a result.

Materiality showed his ability to maintain a brisk pace while salvaging enough stamina to finish strong earlier in the year in the Florida Derby. Running out in front for the majority of the race, he found himself way out in front of the field midway through the race and outlasted a hard-running Upstart to win by 1 1/2 lengths. A better start in the Belmont Stakes will make this colt one to be reckoned with.