Belmont Stakes Odds 2015: Final Predictions on Latest Vegas Betting Lines

The big day has finally arrived. Just hours remain until the gates open for the 2015 Belmont Stakes, and a few short minutes after that, we'll find out whether the nearly four-decade wait is over or if the field will once again catch up to a Triple Crown hopeful.

American Pharoah took care of business at the Kentucky Derby from an outside position, then descended upon the Preakness in the dreaded No. 1 post only to lead from start to finish in a convincing display of superiority. But none of the seven horses contending against him are running in their third race in this five-week stretch. American Pharoah is. 

The brutal nature of that much racing in just over a month along with the step up in distance—a 1 1/2-mile track—has made the Belmont unattainable for the 13 horses with failed Triple Crown bids since Affirmed last did it in 1978. But could the sport finally have found its savior to end the drought?

Find out below, as we make one safe winning pick along with a high-value sleeper to consider.

2015 Belmont Stakes Odds

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	33-1
5	American Pharoah	Bob Baffert	Victor Espinoza	10-13
6	Frosted	Kiaran McLaughlin	Joel Rosario	11-2
7	Keen Ice	Dale Romans	Kent Desormeaux	25-1
8	Materiality	Todd Pletcher	John Velazquez	13-2

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark

Winning Pick: American Pharoah

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You can look to recent history for dozens upon dozens of reasons why American Pharoah won't win the Triple Crown come Saturday. The hype usually isn't warranted, as was the case in two of the last three years.

This time around, there's some validity in rolling with the favorite to make history.

Simply put, no horse has simply scoffed at the Triple Crown's opening two legs in the fashion that American Pharoah just did. He ran his race at Churchill Downs and Pimlico, showing throughout persistent tests against so-called dangerous threats that no horse is quite on his level this summer.

The biggest dangers in Saturday's race—Frosted and Materiality—were both easily beaten by AP in the Derby. The extra rest can only factor in so much when those with the extra rest looked far too slow just over a month ago.

Hopes are high for American Pharoah, but one can bet on trainer Bob Baffert not to overhype things. He's been this close to the Triple Crown and failed three times as a trainer, but he has made it clear that this year's contender stands out and will continue to do so at the Belmont, per Daily Racing Form's Jay Privman:

The votes of confidence are ringing in from outside of the AP camp as well. Former jockey Ron Turcotte—who rode Secretariat to the Crown in 1973—talked up this year's hopeful as more than capable of getting it done, per Sporting News' Steve Petrella:

"He seems to be very versatile to me. You can place him whenever you want in a race, then just let him gallop on. Only a couple horses can do that, but he seems to be that kind of horse."

If you won't take it from me, take it from someone who rode America's golden horse. American Pharoah will take advantage of a relatively weak Belmont field and showcase his master class one last time over a 12-furlong race into the history books.

Surprise Sleeper: Keen Ice

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In a small field of just eight horses, the unexpected extra space can make for some quirky results. At the least, it allows some horses who haven't enjoyed such space in previous races to show their true colors for the first time.

Betting on Keen Ice to do just that could turn a bland betting card into a big winner.

The winner's circle has eluded Keen Ice since September 2014 and he's without a top-two finish in his last six races, but he finished right behind the leaders in his two races prior to the Kentucky Derby. He couldn't escape from a bunched-up pack at Churchill Downs but made up some ground once free to finish seventh.

Keen Ice has the pedigree for success at Belmont, with sire Curlin having sired Palice Malice—a recent Belmont champion. Just as important, his trainer Dale Romans is a fan of the No. 7 post position, as per Keith Sergeant of NJ.com:

"(The 7 post) is perfect. I like having another horse on each side of me when they all break and this gives my rider the time to figure it out."

Trainers can begin to temper expectations over their horses in the days leading up to a race if they aren't performing in practice sessions, but Romans is doing the opposite. He lauded his horse's recent looks, as per Ryan Martin of Churchill Downs:

One win in his last eight starts has plenty of folks mum on Keen Ice's chances, as Odds Shark has him represented with the second-lowest odds in the eight-horse field. But then again, Tale of Verve emerged from the lowest odds in the Preakness three weeks ago—per Odds Shark—to finish in second.

It will take a stroke of magic for him to win, but Keen Ice could still generate a big payday for slotting him in the top three.