Belmont Stakes 2015 Post Time: Live Stream and TV Schedule for Draw
American Pharoah overcame post position adversity in his first two Triple Crown stops, but he could unquestionably use some good favor from the Wednesday draw for the 2015 Belmont Stakes.
After being pushed to an outside gate in the loaded Kentucky Derby, he didn't blink and ran on autopilot behind the pace-setters until kicking it up a gear down the stretch. More trouble brewed at Pimlico, where he drew the dreaded No. 1 post at the Preakness Stakes, but that didn't matter when American Pharoah ran his most comprehensive and dominant race yet in a wire-to-wire win.
But as history dictates, it's no easy task following up those two prestigious May wins with a similar performance at the 1 ½-mile Belmont Park. Dubbed as the true test of a champion by those around the sport, it has slain the hopes of each of the last 13 horses that have tried since Affirmed last completed the trifecta in 1978.
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How Wednesday's post draw unfolds will be telling for American Pharoah's chances, so take a look below to make sure you don't miss out.
2015 Belmont Stakes Post Draw
When: Wednesday, June 3
Where: Rockefeller Center, New York City
Time (ET): 11:15 a.m. - 12:35 p.m.
TV/Live Stream: NYRA.com (membership required)
2015 Belmont Stakes Odds
| American Pharoah | 4-5 |
| Frosted | 5-1 |
| Materiality | 13-2 |
| Madefromlucky | 12-1 |
| Mubtaahij | 16-1 |
| Tale of Verve | 20-1 |
| Keen Ice | 25-1 |
| Frammento | 33-1 |
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark and last updated June 2
American Pharoah has already reigned supreme over a vast majority of the contenders he'll line up against Saturday, but that could play against him more than for him if his opponents can take advantage.
As the only horse in the field to be running in his third race in a five-week span and all of different lengths, American Pharoah likely won't have everything his way. Unlike at Churchill Downs (where he comfortably stayed near the lead without much issue) or at Pimlico (a wire-to-wire win), adversity promises to strike American Pharoah, assuming those well-rested horses take advantage.
Trainer Bob Baffert has been in this spot before with a horse on the cusp of history—three times, to be exact. He knows better than anyone that those in the field will be coming after his horse, per Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde.
"It becomes a jockey race and now that you have more horses in the field, you're going to get a lot of people making runs at you, you know you're the target, and we understand that," Baffert said. "… It's not going to be easy. I know we're up against it there, and odds are against us."
Actually, the odds aren't against Baffert and American Pharoah, as they enter Tuesday odds-on at 4-5. And without horses racing Saturday that pushed him at Churchill Downs like Dortmund and Firing Line, there aren't many first-rate contenders to threaten dethroning him.
With that said, he'll still have to beat out a crop of fresher horses—many of which proved formidable at Churchill Downs and are more than capable of winning if things go their way. But American Pharoah took them all out of their element before, and he could do it again.
Tale of Verve is perhaps the only contender who can boast any sort of contention with American Pharoah in previous races. After missing out on the Kentucky Derby and entering the Preakness as an afterthought, Tale of Verve shocked the millions watching by running away with second place.
One disadvantage for Tale of Verve is that he's coming off a three-week break after running in the Preakness, but trainer Dallas Stewart sees reasons to believe his colt can improve from the Preakness, per the Blood-Horse.
"It's in his breeding," Stewart said. "He's a big horse and has a great stride, so hopefully it will add up. It's going to be a matter of stamina and hopefully the best horse will win."
A pair of Todd Pletcher-trained horses also hope to spoil American Pharoah's parade, and they have the advantage of a full five weeks off. Perhaps his best threat—Carpe Diem—was scratched from the field Monday, per the Associated Press (via Chicago Tribune), but Materiality and Madefromlucky could pull it off.
Materiality is looking to build off a sixth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby, and he'll be aiming to accomplish the feat that his sire, Afleet Alex, did 10 years ago.
There may not be dangerous names from top to bottom standing between American Pharoah and the Triple Crown, but there usually aren't by this time. He's already proven himself superior from his biggest threats, and there's little doubt that he'll win if he can match either of the runs produced at Churchill Downs or Pimlico.
But as history dictates, doing it for the third time in five weeks—and on the longest distance attempted—eludes even the best horses that have come through over the last generation.
Could American Pharoah be the one to change that?
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