Belmont Stakes 2015 Post Time: Race Schedule, Post Positions Info and Prediction
As American Pharoah runs for the Triple Crown at the 2015 Belmont Stakes, he'll once again compete against a condensed, eight-horse field.
The entry list was expected to consist of 10 colts, but only eight officially declared for Saturday's third and final leg. That will only increase the attention given to American Pharoah, the heavy favorite after securing first place at the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Every participant learned its post position Wednesday afternoon, with the favorite drawing the fifth starting gate. A solid spot will solidify his appeal entering the weekend, but 13 horses have lost their Triple Crown bid at Belmont since Affirmed finished the job in 1978.
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Belmont Stakes Info
Date: Saturday, June 6
Post Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Post Positions
| 1 | Mubtaahij | Irad Ortiz | Mike de Kock | 14-1 |
| 2 | Tale of Verve | Gary Stevens | Dallas Stewart | 20-1 |
| 3 | Madefromlucky | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | 16-1 |
| 4 | Frammento | Mike Smith | Nick Zito | 40-1 |
| 5 | American Pharoah | Victor Espinoza | Bob Baffert | 2-3 |
| 6 | Frosted | Joel Rosario | Kiaran McLaughlin | 6-1 |
| 7 | Keen Ice | Kent Desormeaux | Dale Romans | 25-1 |
| 8 | Materiality | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 13-2 |
Preview
Let's start with the good news for American Pharoah. As noted by The Washington Post's Rick Snider, he has less obstacles to worry about than the last four Triple Crown contenders:
Now some bad news, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info. The 1 ½-mile course typically doesn't end well for the incoming favorite:
None of the other entrants competed at Churchill Downs and Pimlico, with only runner-up Tale of Verve running at Pimlico. On the longest of the three tracks, horses have struggled to handle the challenge shortly after two other races, creating a disadvantage for anyone chasing history.
Yet trainer Bob Baffert, who helped out his own Triple Crown chances by sidelining Derby third-place finisher Dortmund, doesn't detect any fatigue from his money-making colt.
"His body language is really good," Baffert said, per USA Today's Dan Wolken. "He's shown me in his works he's really doing well and he's happy. His stride is ridiculously efficient and I think that's what you need for the Belmont. I think it should be set up really great for him."
Even the competition is scared. Kiaran McLaughlin, whose Frosted is one of the top threats to play spoiler this weekend, told The Courier Journal's Jennie Rees that nobody can beat American Pharoah at his best:
"American Pharoah looks like a superstar and is going to be very hard to beat. The closer we get to the race, I just have to keep going back to the fact that it's been a long time since we've had a Triple Crown winner. I've watched his workouts and he just looks like a special horse.
Like I said, I love our horse. He couldn't be doing better. But wow, it's going to take a subpar race from American Pharoah, I'm afraid.
"
Frosted, whose fourth-place finish at the Kentucky Derby is tied for his lowest placement through eight races, has Joel Rosario at the helm. Last year, the jockey crushed California Chrome's Triple Crown bid by leading Tonalist to victory.
After sitting out the Preakness, Todd Pletcher will run out Materiality and Madefromlucky. The trainer particularly enjoyed the prospect of Materiality's No. 8 draw.
"I like the fact Materiality will break outside American Pharoah," Pletcher told Newsday's Ed McNamara. "We'll be on the outside going into the first turn and I hope we'll have an honest pace."
It certainly wouldn't be a shocker to see Frosted or Materiality extend the Triple Crown drought, but American Pharoah has all the goods to defy convention. A strong strider from start to finish, rain or shine, he has shown the ability to close out from behind or control an entire race.
For all the horses who have fallen short in an identical situation, American Pharoah still has too much going in his favor to pick against.
Prediction: American Pharoah win, Materiality place, Frosted show
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