Belmont Stakes Odds 2015: American Pharoah the Favorite to Nab Triple Crown

The Belmont Stakes is less than one week away, and yet again there's a possibility history takes place.

American Pharoah is gunning to become the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years. The last horse to accomplish the feat, of course, was Affirmed back in 1978.

Horses have come close to bucking the trend in recent years, but the Belmont Stakes has been the hardest of the three races to pull off. Most recently, California Chrome won both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes a year ago but could not pull off the win a third time at the Belmont Stakes.

American Pharoah has a chance to undo history with a win at the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. According to Odds Shark, the horse is the favorite yet again. 

Here is a full listing of the odds for the 2015 Belmont Stakes via Odds Shark:

Horse	Odds
American Pharoah	5/6
Frosted	11/2
Materiality	13/2
Carpe Diem	12/1
Mubtaahij	16/1
Madefromlucky	16/1
Tale of Verve	22/1
Keen Ice	28/1
Frammento	40/1
The Truth or Else	50/1

History Is Not In American Pharoah's Corner

So, what exactly is at stake?

The biggest obstacle American Pharoah will have to overcome is history. A high number of horses have been able to capture victories in the first two legs of the Triple Crown but have failed in the third. 

Six horses have won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but lost at Belmont since 2000. Those horses were War Emblem (2002), Funny Cide (2003), Smarty Jones (2004), Big Brown (2008), I'll Have Another (2012) and California Chrome (2014).

Like American Pharoah, California Chrome was the favorite to win at the Belmont Stakes entering the 2014 edition of the race. However, the horse wound up finishing in fourth place. 

In 2012, I'll Have Another was a late scratch for the Belmont Stakes due to a tendon injury. Previous favorites Smarty Jones and Big Brown succumbed to the odds as well.

Belmont The Trickiest Leg of the Triple Crown

History is one thing; distance is another.

The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown races at 1 ½ miles long. In comparison, the Kentucky Derby is a 1 ¼ mile-long race and the Preakness Stakes is 1 3/16 miles long.

American Pharoah has been preparing for the longer distance daily and most recently went through four furlongs at Churchill Downs in :48, according to Jerry Bossert of the New York Daily News.

Secretariat's Jockey Confident In American Pharoah

That time drew the attention of many horse racing fans, as well as those awaiting the history books to be rewritten. As did this comment from Secretariat jockey Ron Turcotte.

Thirteen horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to come up short at Belmont. But Turcotte told Sporting News American Pharoah is an exception to recent history.

"He seems to be very versatile to me. You can place him whenever you want in a race, then just let him gallop on," Turcotte told the site. "Only a couple horses can do that, but he seems to be that kind of horse."

"

Trainer Bob Baffert watched American Pharoah gallop at @ChurchillDowns Sunday. Now you can watch: https://t.co/UZYj2G01FB @BelmontStakes

— Churchill Downs (@ChurchillDowns) May 31, 2015"

American Pharoah proved his versatility at the Preakness Stakes last month, when he overcame rainy conditions and a muddy track to cruise to victory at Pimlico. 

Next, the colt will travel to New York on Tuesday in preparations for Saturday's potentially historic race. American Pharoah aims to become the 12th Triple Crown winner with a win at Belmont Park.