Belmont Stakes 2015 Post Positions: Odds, Field Outlook for Undercard and Stakes
American Pharoah and the quest for the Triple Crown at the 2015 Preakness Stakes steals the headlines, but veterans of the sport know Saturday is a day-long event featuring more than 10 races.
Starting before noon, the undercard features an expansive number of events and plenty of cash on the line, both for those involved in the race and the brave bettors willing to take a dive on the proceedings.
Whether it's the Ogden Phipps Stakes or some other noteworthy event with huge prizes on the line, it's a good time to set aside a full Saturday for sports-viewing purposes (come on, the NFL draft was forever ago now).
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Here's a look at the day's lineup:
| 1 | Winstar Farm Easy Goer Stakes | 11:35 a.m. | $150,000 | Stanford |
| 2 | Allowance Race | 12:07 p.m. | $90,000 | Wisecracker |
| 3 | Woody Stephens Stakes | 12:39 p.m. | $500,000 | Competitive Edge |
| 4 | Jaipur Invitational Stakes | 1:15 p.m. | $300,000 | Ageless |
| 5 | Ogden Phipps Stakes | 1:52 p.m. | $1,000,000 | Untapable |
| 6 | Brooklyn Invitational Stakes | 2:34 p.m. | $400,000 | Micromanage |
| 7 | Acorn Stakes | 3:15 p.m. | $750,000 | Condo Commando |
| 8 | Longines Just a Game Stakes | 4:00 p.m. | $700,000 | Filimbi |
| 9 | NYRA.com Metropolitan Handicap | 4:49 p.m. | $1,250,000 | Bayern |
| 10 | Knob Creek Manhattan Stakes | 5:46 p.m. | $1,000,000 | Big Blue Kitten |
| 11 | Belmont Stakes | 6:50 p.m. | $1,500,000 | American Pharoah |
| 12 | $62.5K Optional Claimer | 7:38 p.m. | $96,000 | Market Outlook |
| 13 | $62.5 K Optional Claimer | 8:12 p.m. | $96,000 | Matterhorn |
The Ogden Phipps Stakes is a good place to start.
Like American Pharoah with the Stakes, trainer Steven Asmussen's Untapable is the cream of the crop and the heavy favorite. It's a status well earned after the colt won the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes in April and is a winner in three of her last four.
There are other notables in the six-horse race such as Wedding Toast, but Untapable should get the nod from bettors.
To throw things even more in her favor, legendary jockey John Velazquez will be up top to orchestrate the race, and he told Jonathan Lintner of the Courier-Journal he's happy for the opportunity: "After the horse wins the Breeders' Cup, and you found out you can have the mount, I would say that's a pretty good situation to be in."
Also of note thanks to the huge coin at stake and the notable entrants is the Metropolitan Handicap, otherwise known as the Met Mile.
The big dog, well, horse, is one folks may recognize—Tonalist, the colt who ruined California Chrome's shot at the Triple Crown one year ago.
He's a surefire contender in the event, and his trainer, Christophe Clement, tells Lintner this may be an even better version of the horse who won the Stakes last year:
"He was a very nice horse last year, and I think he's still a very nice horse. Is he a stronger horse? He's probably a bit stronger from 3 to 4. I liked him last year. He's probably grown a little but mostly he's just filled out more. He's training again very well. He's a very exciting horse. We're excited for the race.
"
Of course, this particular race is perhaps the only to come close to the Stakes' entertainment value with other notables such as Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern, Private Zone and Honor Code in the running.
About the Stakes.
Here's a look at the order and updated odds after Wednesday's post draw:
| 1 | Mubtaahij | Michael de Kock | Irad Ortiz Jr. | 14-1 |
| 2 | Tale of Verve | Dallas Stewart | Gary Stevens | 20-1 |
| 3 | Madefromlucky | Todd Pletcher | Javier Castellano | 14-1 |
| 4 | Frammento | Nick Zito | Mike Smith | 40-1 |
| 5 | American Pharoah | Bob Baffert | Victor Espinoza | 5-7 |
| 6 | Frosted | Kiaran McLaughlin | Joel Rosario | 6-1 |
| 7 | Keen Ice | Dale Romans | Kent Desormeaux | 25-1 |
| 8 | Materiality | Todd Pletcher | John Velazquez | 13-2 |
Things weren't perfect for American Pharoah at the draw, but it could have gone a whole lot worse.
Bob Baffert's top horse sits in a post position featuring a resume of double-digit winners. So too do the horses in the first three posts, with No. 1 leading the way at 23, per Belmont-Stakes.info, but the good news is there isn't a ton of speed to the inside of the Triple Crown hopeful.
In fact, Mubtaahij next to the rail might be the most dangerous of all coming off a lengthy rest and the fact both his pedigree and international status lend to the notion he'll have a solid run at a longer distance.
Still, American Pharoah's two biggest threats, Frosted and Materiality, landed to the outside and will have a longer distance to cover to contend late. This ideal situation also allows jockey Victor Espinoza to play the race however he chooses, whether that's coming from behind, like he did at the Kentucky Derby, or attempting to go wire-to-wire, like he did at the Preakness Stakes.
Either way he chooses to go, the jockey undergoing his third attempt at a Triple Crown and a horse who continues to look better by the race despite short periods of rest create a formidable pairing oddsmakers can't seem to ignore.
It's easy to see, then, why American Pharoah overshadows the full day's events, although it's not an excuse to miss any of the action.
Stats and information via BelmontStakes.com unless otherwise specified. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark as of June 5.
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