Belmont Stakes Odds 2015: Post Positions Info and Vegas Lines for All Horses

When it comes to horse racing, no occasion on the calendar stirs anticipation quite like the Belmont Stakes, especially when there’s a chance of Triple Crown glory.

Last year California Chrome was expected to land the third leg of coveted thoroughbred chases, but as has been the case for so many would-be Triple Crown champions, fortune didn’t favour him in New York. This year, American Pharoah looks as though he has an equally strong chance of making history.

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After getting over the line to triumph in a tight Kentucky Derby, the Bob Baffert-trained colt romped to an impressive victory in tough conditions at the Preakness Stakes.

Can he become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to complete the box set of titles? Here’s a closer examination of the Kentucky-Preakness double winner, the horses that are most likely to scupper American Pharoah’s chances and the latest odds ahead of the race.

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
1	Mubtaahij	Mike 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	2-3
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

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com. Figures accurate as of 3:45 p.m. BST on June 5.

Belmont a Step Too Far for American Pharoah

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History dictates that American Pharoah will come up short here. So much can go wrong in the pursuit of the three most illustrious thoroughbred chases, and given the extra distance the horses must tackle at Belmont, the final leg is a massive test of endurance.

Both trainer Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza know all too well just how difficult it is to complete the hat trick. Baffert has had three horses go to Belmont with a chance of taking the Triple Crown, while Espinoza was on board California Chrome last year, as well as War Emblem in 2002 during his failed attempts at winning all three races.

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The Kentucky Derby Twitter feed gave us a reminder of those horses who have won the treble previously:

The age of those photos are a visual indicator of just how long it’s been since a horse has raced to victory in the three events. But plenty of horse racing fans feel that American Pharoah, especially being drawn away from the rail in Post 5, has the chance to conquer Belmont and make history.

As we can see here courtesy of the event’s official Twitter feed, Baffert and the horse’s owners were happy with the draw:

Nonetheless, this will be a step too far for this remarkable horse. Granted, he has shown his adaptability with two equally impressive but hugely contrasting victories at Churchill Downs and Pimlico, but the energy expended in both will surely play a major part.

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Indeed, American Pharoah will be the only horse in the field to have run in all three Triple Crown races. As noted by Jay Privman of the Daily Racing Form, any horse who competes in all three—never mind wins the first two—typically finds it tough to perform at the New York showpiece:

There are a couple of quality competitors in the field here too. Frosted will be to American Pharoah’s right-hand side in Post 6 and will have Joel Rosario aboard, who knows what it takes to scupper a Triple Crown bid. He was on Tonalist in this race last year, ending California Chrome’s dream.

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Materiality is another dangerous rival. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt boasts blistering natural speed, and jockey John Velazquez will be able to pick his time to make a move from the outside. As noted by Christie DeBernardis of TDN, Materiality has been looking good in the build-up:

I like Frosted for this one. Admittedly, he has had trouble getting out of the gate, and that cost him a chance for victory in the Kentucky Derby. But over the longer distance at Belmont, even if Rosario can’t get him off to a good start, Frosted will have time to recover and put himself in an excellent position to strike.

If he rounds the final turn level with American Pharoah, Frosted’s scintillating finishing ability will see him home. Baffert's crown jewel has shown an ability to close out races, but with the arduous chases at Kentucky and Preakness likely to be in his legs, he’ll become the latest big name to fall short in pursuit of the Triple Crown.

Prediction: 1. Frosted, 2. American Pharoah