Belmont Stakes Odds 2015: Latest Vegas Betting Lines for Elmont Field

Although the post positions still haven't been announced, there is a lot of buzz surrounding the 2015 Belmont Stakes and American Pharoah's quest to win a Triple Crown.  

Like many contenders before him, American Pharoah won the first two legs of the prestigious trio, with impressive victories at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. However, winning the third jewel has proved elusive for the top horses in recent years, as no one has won all three since Affirmed in 1978.

Fans want to see if this year will be any different or if one of the top opponents will once again ruin the dream of greatness. While the odds are slanted heavily toward the favorite, there are numerous intriguing options across the board for Saturday's race.

Horse	Trainer	Odds
American Pharoah	Bob Baffert	5-6
Frosted	Kiaran McLaughlin	11-2
Materiality	Todd Pletcher	13-2
Mubtaahij	Mike De Kock	16-1
Madefromlucky	Todd Pletcher	16-1
Tale of Verve	Dallas Stewart	22-1
Keen Ice	Dale Romans	28-1
Frammento	Nick Zito	40-1

One of the biggest issues for Triple Crown challengers at Belmont is simply the loaded schedule. Three races and a lot of travel in a short period of time often causes fatigue by the time the final race comes around.

Fortunately, this doesn't seem to be an issue for American Pharoah, as he has looked good in his recent training. Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports noted many were impressed by his latest practice run:

Of course, there are many factors that will decide the outcome of this race. One of those is trainer Bob Baffert, who has had a lot of success at the first two Triple Crown legs, with a combined 10 wins at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but just one victory at Belmont. 

Despite these past issues, Baffert is confident going into the upcoming run, according to Dan Wolken of USA Today:

"

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.

"

If American Pharoah runs the race he is capable of, there aren't many in the field with the ability to pull off the upset.

The list of challengers has gotten smaller over the past week, with both Carpe Diem and The Truth Or Else dropping out, according to Jonathan Lintner of the Courier-Journal.

Frosted remains one of the favorites to beat American Pharoah after his strong recent performances in top races. After winning the Wood Memorial, he earned an impressive fourth place at the Kentucky Derby in a loaded field.

By skipping the Preakness, he will be fresher than the favorite, an important trait in a 1 1/2-mile course.

Still, the top runner might end up being Materiality. The Todd Pletcher-trained horse has the talent and experience necessary to play the role of spoiler, and many of those who follow the sport think this is the best chance to pull off an upset. This group includes Kevin Modesti of the Los Angeles Daily News:

No one knows exactly what will happen until the race actually begins, as a couple of missteps could be the difference. American Pharoah certainly deserves all the praise and high expectations, although anything can happen in one of the most highly anticipated horse races in years.

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