Belmont Stakes 2015 Horses: Pedigree Info, Early Odds and Lineup Predictions
Last year, California Chrome captivated the nation through the first two legs of the Triple Crown and entered the Belmont Stakes looking to become the first horse to claim the sport's most coveted achievement since Affirmed in 1978. Unfortunately, things didn't go the colt's way, as Tonalist emerged victorious, ending Chrome's run at history.
This year, American Pharoah is in the same situation.
The talented colt crossed the finish line first at Churchill Downs following a grueling Kentucky Derby. His victory was even more impressive considering the extra ground he was forced to make up from his outside starting position. He struck again at Pimlico, torching the field by seven lengths after starting from the ominous No. 1 gate—a starting position that previously yielded just one winner since 1961.
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So here's the burning question: Will Pharoah suffer the same fate as Chrome, or will he go down in horse racing history? Before predicting an answer to that question, let's take a look at the pedigree information and early odds for all Belmont Stakes contenders.
Belmont Stakes Lineup Info
| American Pharoah | 4-5 | Pioneerof the Nile | Littleprincessemma |
| Frosted | 5-1 | Tapit | Fast Cookie |
| Materiality | 13-2 | Afleet Alex | Wildwood Flower |
| Madefromlucky | 12-1 | Lookin at Lucky | Home From Oz |
| Mubtaahij | 16-1 | Dubawi | Pennegale |
| Tale of Verve | 20-1 | Tale of Ekati | Verve |
| Keen Ice | 25-1 | Curlin | Medomak |
| Frammento | 33-1 | Midshipman | Ginger Bay |
All Belmont Stakes odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
Belmont Stakes Predictions
| Win | American Pharoah |
| Place | Frosted |
| Show | Tale of Verve |
| Fourth | Madefromlucky |
You read that right—American Pharoah will win it all. Sure, fatigue is a concern for the colt entering the Belmont Stakes, but there are a few reasons why he'll be able to overcome that obstacle.
Looking back at the previous two Triple Crown races, Pharoah's phenomenal stamina was wildly on display. In the Kentucky Derby, he emerged victorious over a fresh, strong field after starting far outside and running three wide off the rail for the majority of the race. He was able to maintain enough stamina to finish strong and outlast a charging Firing Line.
The colt had a different threat in the Preakness Stakes, as he had to start from the far inside post on a rain-soaked track. Somehow, he managed to accelerate with blazing speed, moving to the front of the pack before the first turn and salvaging enough stamina to charge down the final stretch, winning by seven lengths.
After those two races, one may assume Pharoah is spent. However, according to an interview with Jerry Bossert of the New York Daily News, trainer Bob Baffert thinks otherwise:
"We're sort of used to running in these big races, so it's not like it's the first time for us. We know that as long as we're prepared and we know what we need to do—that's the whole thing. The only thing that I would get nervous about would be if things aren't going well, but so far everything has been right on schedule. There haven't been any setbacks, no hiccups, so that's the main thing.
"
It sure sounds as though the famed trainer has zero reservations about Pharoah's recent work. If that trend continues, there is no reason to go against the favorite at Belmont Park.
Earning the runner-up finish is Frosted. This horse showed his tremendous closing ability in the Kentucky Derby, rallying from the rear of the pack over the last half-mile to finish in fourth place. Frosted's stamina is great, and that will serve him well in the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes; however, the colt's inability to start quickly is why he's pegged as the second-place finisher.
In the Derby, Frosted was sluggish out of the gate and quickly became stuck in traffic. He fell to the rear of the pack and, while he finished strong, was too far off the pace to really challenge for the lead. That is an ongoing trend with Frosted, as he displayed that same tendency in his Wood Memorial victory, rallying from behind to pass Tencendur for the win.
In third place is Preakness runner-up Tale of Verve. This colt had a rough beginning to his career, taking six attempts to win his Maiden Special Weight. Interestingly enough, the Preakness was his first career stakes race, making his second-place finish even more impressive.
Tale of Verve made an impressive late run at Pimlico, coming from way behind to finish second. He went wide down the final stretch to charge past some strong competition and, despite being briefly stuck behind Divining Rod, found his way around his opponent before the finish line. Tale of Verve's combination of finishing ability and stamina bodes well for his shot at a strong finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Rounding out the top four is Madefromlucky. After losing both the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby to American Pharoah, this colt got back into his groove and won the Peter Pan Stakes—a Belmont Park race—with a good time of 1:48.36. Like the aforementioned contenders, Madefromlucky showed solid closing speed, passing Conquest Curlinate down the final stretch to win by a length.
Since that race was held on May 9 and Madefromlucky hasn't raced since, he'll have quite an advantage over the field in the Belmont Stakes. With just under one month of rest, Madefromlucky will have the freshest legs on the track. That should be enough to provide a boost to his endurance, earning him a top-four finish in this lengthy race.
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