Belmont Stakes 2011: 1 Fact You Should Know About Each Horse

Animal Kingdom, Mucho Macho Man and Shackleford. All are names that followers of the Triple Crown have heard many times this year, mostly in the last month. But do you know everything about these horses?

Come with me as we look at one fact for every horse. Some you may know, some you may not, but I promise it will be an informative and entertaining ride.

Animal Kingdom

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BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 21: Animal Kingdom and jocky John Velazquez #11 in the post parade before the start of the 136th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 21, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The G1 Kentucky Derby winner has been touted as a turf horse for the whole Triple Crown but it is no surprise he can run on dirt. Animal Kingdom's grandsire Candy Stripes has sired multiple graded stakes winners on the dirt including Invasor, dual Horse of the Year in the U.S. and Uruguay and a Triple Crown winner in Uruguay.

So it would be better to leave the turf part off of the turf router title usually assigned with Animal Kingdom.

Brilliant Speed

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 07: Jockey Joel Rosario, riding Brilliant Speed #2, is escourted onto the track by an outrider for the running of the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Brilliant Speed may have finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby, but he was gaining spots during most of the race. He was in 14th at the three-quarters pole and 10th at a mile.

This looks like it will bring good things on Saturday as he has an extra quarter-mile to work with and a smaller field to get around.

Isn't He Perfect

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BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 21: Isn't He Perfect with jockey Ramon Dominguez #12 during the post parade for the 136th running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 21, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Isn't He Perfect has been pretty heavily raced with 13 starts and only two wins and one third. He broke his maiden in a one-mile maiden claimer and finished ninth in the Preakness.

He is fittingly the longest shot in the field with his Watchmaker odds at 50-1.

Master of Hounds

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: Kentucky Derby entrant Master of Hounds exits the track during morning workouts in preparation for the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2011 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty I

Master of Hounds has been a big traveler since November, but especially in the last few months.

The horse shipped from Ireland to Kentucky to run in the Breeder's Cup last November before shipping back to Ireland. In late March he shipped from Ireland to Dubai for the Dubai World Cup races then shipped back to Ireland for a month before shipping in for the Derby five days before the race (the iron horse finished fifth in the race).

He shipped back to Ireland right after the race and shipped back to New York on June 7; he'll be released from quarantine on June 9.

Did all of that make you tired? Unless Master of Hounds is one of those super shippers, all of his shipping will catch up with him soon; hopefully it's not in the one-and-a-half-mile race on Saturday.

Monzon

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6 MAY 1995: JOCKEY GARY STEVENS RIDES THUNDER GULCH TO WIN THE 121ST KENTUCKY DERBY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT

Monzon is by Thunder Gulch who won two legs of the Triple Crown (including the Belmont) and sired one of the best three-year-olds of the last 10 years in Point Given (who also won the Belmont).

He also has Mr. Prospector in his third generation on both sides of his pedigree. It should be noted that direct decedents of  Mr. P have won 12 of the last 16 Belmont Stakes including six of the last eight. The last two Belmont winners fall into that category as well.

Mucho Macho Man

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BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 20: Exercise rider Heriberto Pulgar takes Preakness entrant Mucho Macho Man over the track at Pimlico Race Course on May 20, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. The 136th running of the Preakness Stakes will take place on May 21. (Photo by

Mucho Macho Man is equipped with a new shoe, the Burns Polyflex shoe, after losing his left front in the G1 Preakness Stakes where he finished sixth (he also lost his shoe in the G2 Louisiana Derby and finished third).

Nehro

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 05: Nehro is lead on to the track in preparation for the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Nehro has major seconditis in stakes races this year, finishing second in the G1 Kentucky Derby, G1 Arkansas Derby and G2 Louisiana Derby. He went from sixth to second in the Derby but stopped gaining positions at the one-mile mark, but maybe the extra quarter-mile is just what he needs to finally get a stakes win.

Prime Cut

Julian Herbert/Getty Images

19 Aug 1999: Michael Kinane brings Stravinsky home to land The Persimmon Homes Nunthorpe Stakes run at York. Mandatory Credit: Julian Herbert/ALLSPORT

Prime Cut was third in the G2 Peter Pan behind two of the bigger horses not to race in the Triple Crown this year, Alternation and Adios Charlie. Since the Peter Pan was the week before the Preakness, Prime Cut should be fresher than those horses that ran in the Preakness.

Ruler on Ice

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GRAND PRAIRIE, TX - OCTOBER 28: Roman Ruler, trained by Bob Baffert, works out October 28, 2004 in preparation for the Breeders' Cup World Throroughbred Championships at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Ruler on Ice is a half brother to Champagne D'Oro who won the G1 Acorn Stakes last year. His sire Roman Ruler won the G1 Haskell Invitational at nine furlongs and was third in the 10-furlong G1 Travers Stakes.

But the biggest thing Ruler on Ice has going for him is his third generation tie to Mr. Prospector, who has big success in the Belmont as stated in an earlier slide.

Santiva

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 01: Santiva works out during the morning exercise session in preparation for the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Santiva's dam Slide is half sister to two graded stakes winners, 1989 Champion Sprinter Safely Kept and G2 winner Partner's Hero. The bad news for Santiva: Both of those horses are sprinters.

However, Santiva is Giant's Causeway's top-rated performer according to thoroughbredtimes.com with a 21.85.

Shackleford

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BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 21: Shackleford #5 with jockey Jesus Castanon aboard during the post parade before the start of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 21, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Shackleford's front-running style may suit the Belmont better than any other race in the Triple Crown. Historically, front runners have done well in the race when there aren't super fast fractions.

If Shackleford can slow down the pace or sit back from blazing fractions, he should do well.

Stay Thirsty

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 07: Jockey Ramon A. Dominguez, riding Stay Thirsty #4, is escourted onto the track by an outrider for the running of the 137th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7, 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Gett

Stay Thirsty is a half brother to Andromeda's Hero, who finished second in the 2005 Belmont. His sire Bernardini also won at longer distances.

Overall, Stay Thirsty has the breeding on top and bottom to do decent in the race if he can be a professional, which is something he has struggled with throughout his career.