Belmont Stakes 2015 Post Time: Important Start Time and Lineup Info

The 2015 Belmont Stakes is rapidly nearing, and the possibility of horse racing's first Triple Crown winner since 1978 (Affirmed) is very real.

American Pharoah, who finished in first at both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, is the odds-on favorite to capture the third leg of the Triple Crown at the 147th Running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.

American Pharoah as a 5-6 favorite in the field to win the Belmont. If the colt does, then it would become the 12th Triple Crown winner and buck recent history. Six horses have won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but have come up short in etching their name in the record books.

As we await a potentially historic event, here is everything to know about the race' start time, lineup and how to view it.

Date: Saturday, June 6

Post Time: 6:50 p.m. ET (BelmontStakes.com)

TV: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Overcoming Recent History

Six horses have placed first in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes but have come up short in their attempt at the Triple Crown since 2000.

Additionally, a horse has not won both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes since 2005, when Afleet Alex did. That year, Afleet Alex finished third at the Kentucky Derby.

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

For the 14th time, a colt has a shot at making history. Three of those 14 attempts have been orchestrated by American Pharoah's Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, who has previously won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 1997 with Silver Charm, 1998 with Real Quiet and 2002 with War Emblem.

In another twist, American Pharoah's jockey, Victor Espinoza, helped California Chrome finish fourth at the Belmont Stakes a year ago. Espinoza also rode War Emblem.

The Rest of the Field

Instead of facing the same horses that came up short in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, American Pharoah will race a new set of challengers at the 2015 Belmont Stakes.

Frosted (11-2), Materiality (13-2) and Carpe Diem (12-1) are considered the biggest competition to American Pharoah's quest for history.

In 2014, Tonalist spoiled California Chrome's hopes of capturing the third jewel of the Triple Crown. In what is a very similar situation, Tonalist did not participate in either the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes.

Thus far, 10 colts have been confirmed for the Belmont Stakes field, per Sporting News' Steve Petrella. Six of the challengers competed in the Kentucky Derby but passed on the Preakness. Frosted finished fourth in the Derby, Materiality finished sixth, Keen Ice finished seventh, Mubtaahij finished eighth, Carpe Diem finished 10th and Frammento finished 11th.

Gauging the Chances of Frosted, Materiality

Frosted finished fourth at the Kentucky Derby thanks to a late rally. The colt faced 12-1 betting odds prior to the race and was beaten out by 3 ¼ lengths for first place.

The late push could be a factor as the colts prepare for what is the longest of the three legs of the Triple Crown. The Belmont Stakes course is a 12-furlong track in contrast to the Kentucky Derby (10 furlongs) and Preakness Stakes (nine furlongs). The Belmont Stakes' dirt track is the longest course in the United States.

In recent workouts, Frosted earned rave reviews from DRF Live analyst Mike Welsch, who said the colt has looked its best since the Kentucky Derby back on May 2.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

"Tamarkuz, winner of this year's Godolphin Mile, came back and was ahead after five furlongs in one minute and 25 tenths of a second, although it was Frosted back in front again when pulling up six panels in 1:14.80. This was the best I've seen of Frosted either prior to or since the Derby."

Materiality, who is receiving 13-2 betting odds behind Frosted and favorite American Pharoah, did not receive as good a review.

According to Welsch, Materiality struggled to beat his running mate during workouts this past week and is not racing "up to his usual standards."

Is This the Year for a Triple Crown?

It appears that Frosted will be American Pharoah's strongest competition at the 2015 Belmont Stakes. The odds and recent finishes of the rest of the colts in the field pale in comparison to the success American Pharoah has achieved of late.

Frosted's strong finish at the Kentucky Derby gives the colt an edge in the 1 ½-mile course, but the starting positions will provide an even stronger indicator of how this race should play out.

With that being considered, American Pharoah's Kentucky Derby triumph and easy first-place finish a few weeks ago at Pimlico makes the colt a convincing favorite to nab the first Triple Crown in nearly four decades.

Barring a last-minute injury or unfortunate starting position, American Pharoah is horse racing's best chance at making history on Saturday in New York.

Odds courtesy of Bodog (h/t Odds Shark).