American Pharoah will attempt to make history on Saturday, June 9th in the Belmont Stakes. He’ll look to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 and as the race field starts to ‘firm up’ it looks like he’ll face nine opponents over the mile and a half at New York’s Belmont Park.
American Pharoah has already won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and now he needs to win the Belmont Stakes to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. He’ll have to deal with high expectations, a grueling mile and a half course and nine opponents that will come between him and horse racing immortality. The good news is that he’s already beaten eight of his opponents in the two previous Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby veterans in the field (with finish position) are Carpe Diem (10th) Frammento (11th), Frosted (4th), Keen Ice (7th), Materiality (6th) and Mubtaahij (8th). Also expected to be in the field is Preakness runner up Tale of Verve.
Two horses that didn’t participate in either of the Triple Crown races–called ‘shooters’ in horse racing slang–will also be in the field. Todd Pletcher will send Madefromlucky and trainer Ken McPeak is expected to saddle The Truth or Else. The Truth or Else won an allowance race at Belmont the last time out and his only other career victory was at the track. Ken McPeak does have a history of success with longshots in the Belmont Stakes–he won here with 70-1 longshot Sarava in 2002. That victory spoiled War Emblem’s shot at a Triple Crown. Until late last week, Conquest Curlinate had been mentioned as a possible entrant but his connections decided not to pay the $75,000 supplementary entrance fee that would be required to get him in the race.
Bob Baffert will ship American Pharoah from Churchill Downs on the Tuesday before the race. Right now, he’s not planning to give his horse an official workout–he’ll gallop him on Thursday before the Saturday race. Wynn Las Vegas is currently offering betting odds of -115 that American Pharoah will win the Belmont and complete the Triple Crown.