2015 Belmont Stakes: Post Time, TV Coverage, NBC Live Stream and Purse Payout
All eyes are on American Pharoah, as bettors and horse racing enthusiasts brace for the colt's run at history in the 2015 Belmont Stakes. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner can become the first horse to claim the elusive Triple Crown since 1978 with a victory Saturday at Belmont Park.
However, while Pharoah may be considered the favorite, the odds are stacked against him. He'll be dealing with fatigue after running some grueling races over a short period of time, and his opponents enter the race far more rested. Trainer Bob Baffert said it best during an interview with CBS News: "I know the odds are against us—37 years—there's a reason for that."
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It certainly won't be an easy race for Pharoah, but the colt has been nothing short of impressive throughout the first two legs of the Triple Crown. If he can muster one more sparkling run, he'll achieve glory and forever etch his name in horse racing's history books.
As we await the commencement of the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes, let's take a look at the race's essential viewing information, updated odds, purse payouts and preview.
2015 Belmont Stakes Viewing Info
Date: Saturday, June 6
Where: Belmont Park in Elmont, New York
TV Time: 4:30-7 p.m. ET, NBC
Post Time: 6:50 p.m. ET
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Mobile Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra
Purse Breakdown
| 1 | $800,000 |
| 2 | $280,000 |
| 3 | $150,000 |
| 4 | $100,000 |
| 5 | $60,000 |
| 6 | $45,000 |
| 7 | $35,000 |
| 8 | $30,000 |
All payout information provided by NYRA.com.
Contenders and Odds Info
| 1 | Mubtaahij | 14-1 | Irad Ortiz Jr. |
| 2 | Tale of Verve | 20-1 | Gary Stevens |
| 3 | Madefromlucky | 14-1 | Javier Castellano |
| 4 | Frammento | 33-1 | Mike Smith |
| 5 | American Pharoah | 10-13 | Victor Espinoza |
| 6 | Frosted | 11-2 | Joel Rosario |
| 7 | Keen Ice | 25-1 | Kent Desormeaux |
| 8 | Materiality | 13-2 | John R. Velasquez |
All Belmont Stakes odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
Race Preview
Does American Pharoah have what it takes to capture the Belmont Stakes and, ultimately, the Triple Crown? Judging by the colt's recent body of work, the resounding answer is yes.
After drawing the No. 18 gate at Churchill Downs, Pharoah faced extraordinary odds, as he would have to make up additional ground and burn energy early in an effort to keep pace with other strong contenders. Well, that didn't matter in the end, as the colt still maintained enough stamina to burst down the final stretch and outlast the charging Firing Line for a Kentucky Derby victory.
Pharoah was in trouble early once again at Pimlico. He drew the dreaded No. 1 gate—a starting position that had previously yielded just one winner since 1961—and was forced to run hard early to escape getting stuck in traffic or pinned against the rail. Again, the colt still managed to show unequaled stamina despite that early charge and went on to win the race by seven lengths.
Following those impressive runs, his luck finally changed, as he drew the favorable No. 5 gate—a starting position that has produced 13 previous winners at Belmont Park. Adding to the colt's good fortunes were some late scratches that reduced the field to eight horses. That's significant because of the fact that no Triple Crown winner has ever defeated more than seven opponents in the Belmont Stakes.
Frosted figures to be Pharoah's biggest challenger. The Wood Memorial winner didn't produce an optimal result in the Kentucky Derby, taking fourth place, but he was one of the most impressive horses down the final stretch.
Not the strongest horse out of the gate, Frosted fell well off the pace early after getting caught in traffic. He remained in the rear of the pack throughout the majority of the race before kicking it into high gear with a half-mile remaining. He surged past several strong contenders and navigated his way to a fourth-place finish.
Frosted may have been the best closer at Churchill Downs, as he continued to gain ground on the leaders right up until the bitter end. If the colt can get off to a better start at Belmont Park, he could give Pharoah a run for his money.
Materiality comes in as the race's third favorite. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt got caught up in traffic in the Kentucky Derby and went on to finish sixth. Getting a better start at Belmont is necessary, as Materiality prefers to run at the front of the pack.
With a starting position in the No. 8 gate, he'll have a good chance to avoid traffic early; however, stamina could be a cause for concern if he's forced to run off the rail. Pletcher did hold Materiality out of the Preakness Stakes in an effort to train for the Belmont, so that strategy could pay off in the endurance department.
In addition, there are two sleepers to keep an eye on in the Belmont Stakes: Tale of Verve and Madefromlucky.
Tale of Verve was impressive in the Preakness—the colt's first stakes race—coming out of nowhere to notch a runner-up finish. His late run to second place was remarkable, and if he can handle the Belmont distance, he may be a horse to watch late in the race.
Madefromlucky will be entering his first Triple Crown race. The Peter Pan Stakes winner skipped the Preakness to train for the Belmont. Interestingly enough, Tonalist, the 2014 Belmont winner, took the exact same path. Madefromlucky is well-rested and has the stamina necessary to be a factor on Saturday.
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