Belmont Stakes 2015 Field: Handicapping the Horses in New York

The anticipation is building for the Belmont Stakes. On Saturday, we will know if American Pharoah has joined the upper echelon of horse racing's elite or if he is just another great horse who fell short in the final jewel of the Triple Crown.

Here is a look at the field that is taking shape for the Belmont Stakes, broken down by those with no chance, the dark horses, the contenders and the favorite. American Pharoah will have no shortage of challengers as he attempts to become only the 12th horse in history to win the Triple Crown.

Let's take a look and handicap the Belmont Stakes.

Odds are provided by Odds Shark. 

Horses with No Chance

Daniel P. Derella/Associated Press

The Truth or Else, 50-1

Trainer Ken McPeek did pull off a major upset in the Belmont Stakes with Sarava in 2002, coincidentally denying Victor Espinoza and Bob Baffert the Triple Crown with War Emblem. This colt finally earned his second career victory once he dropped down to an optional claiming race after struggling against stakes competition and seems in over his head here.

Frammento, 50-1

Trainer Nick Zito is another one familiar with Triple Crown upsets. He saddled Birdstone to win the 2004 Belmont over the popular and undefeated Smarty Jones. He also sent out longshot Da' Tara to win in 2008 at odds of 38-1 while Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown finished last. At this point, Frammento has given no indication he is a genuine stakes horse, however. 

Keen Ice, 28-1

Keen Ice finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby and, all things considered, did not run a terrible race. He does have plenty of stamina in both sides of his pedigree as well. He, like his fellow horses mentioned in this slide, has yet to really prove he has the class to hold his own against the top-tier horses in this division. 

The Dark Horses

Garry Jones/Associated Press

Tale of Verve, 22-1

It definitely looked like trainer Dallas Stewart was swinging for the fences trying to get Tale of Verve, a horse who took six tries to break his maiden, in the Kentucky Derby. When he did not make the field, he waited till the Preakness and surprised with a runner-up effort at 28-1. 

Stewart, still confident in his colt, told BloodHorse.com that he feels Tale of Verve is doing well right now:

"We want to get the win for him. With his breeding, the way he eats, (and) the way he handles himself, I think he can do it."

Madefromlucky, 16-1

Last year, Tonalist parlayed a victory in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2) into an upset score in the Belmont over California Chrome.

This year, Madefromlucky will try to follow that path. Largely overlooked in the loaded Todd Pletcher arsenal this spring, he rebounded after finishing fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) to win last out. He may be improving and hitting his best stride at the right time.

Mubtaahij, 16-1

The globe-trotting colt will get another chance at an American classic, and while his training leading up to the race has been unconventional, he looms as a dark horse with a big chance. He has been hitting the track frequently in the morning for training, and that could leave him with a superior fitness level to that of his rivals.

He was also impressive on the track on May 30, according to the Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch on Twitter.

The Contenders

Carpe Diem, 12-1

Prior to his disappointing 10th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Carpe Diem looked like one of the best horses of his generation. With two wins from two starts in his three-year-old year, he had done everything right leading up to the Run for the Roses.

With no apparent excuse, he will get a chance to redeem himself in the Belmont Stakes. His workouts at Belmont Park have been strong, and he will try to prove that the Derby was a fluke. 

Materiality, 13-2

While his stablemate Carpe Diem had no excuses in the Kentucky Derby, Materiality had plenty. A lightly raced colt short on experience, he was forced to show a new dimension and rally from off of the pace after a rough start.

He managed to run sixth, even after losing a shoe at one point during the race. With a little racing luck this time around, he may be a major threat.

Frosted, 11-2

After an inconsistent spring, Frosted put it all together and won the Wood Memorial (G1). At Churchill Downs, he looked like a horse who was physically flourishing and primed for a huge effort. While he only managed fourth, he had a nightmare trip and was flying at the end.

In a recent workout at Belmont Park, he outworked a horse named Tamarkuz who is no slouch—he is a graded stakes winner. 

The Favorite: American Pharoah

Garry Jones/Associated Press

All eyes will be on American Pharoah on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes as the colt attempts to make history and join the elite group of horses that have won the Triple Crown. Can he do it? 

Even trainer Bob Baffert does not know for sure. This will be his fourth appearance at Belmont Park with the chance for a Triple Crown. He went down this road with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). As he told USA Today, he is hopeful that American Pharoah is the one.

"

It's about the horse now. Is he good enough to do it? It always happens to me when I go up (to New York). I start feeling pressure because I don't want to let those fans down. Every year, people say, 'This is the one.' So hopefully, maybe this is the one. We don't know. All indications show me he's doing well.

"

Strange things can happen in the Belmont Stakes. All it takes is a stumble at the start like War Emblem had in 2002 and all of the Triple Crown hopes are gone.