Three Horses Capable of Upsetting American Pharoah in the Belmont

Frosted has been training at Belmont Park since the Kentucky Derby and may pose a big threat to American Pharoah's Triple Crown chances. (Photos by NYRA)
The sporting world will be focused on New York’s Belmont Park on Saturday, as American Pharoah attempts to become the 12th winner of horse racing’s Triple Crown by winning the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes. 
It has been 37 years since Affirmed captured the Triple Crown in 1978, and since that time 12 horses have come to New York with the opportunity to win the Belmont Stakes and become a Triple Crown winner, but each has failed. The list of horses who have been unable to complete the Triple Crown includes phenomenal Thoroughbreds such as Spectacular Bid, Alysheba, Sunday Silence, and Silver Charm.
TRIPLE CROWN BIDS ENDED IN BELMONT 

Year  
Triple Crown hopeful  
 Belmont finish  
Winner

2014
California Chrome
4th
Tonalist

2008
Big Brown
DNF
Da’ Tara

2004
Smarty Jones
2nd
Birdstone

2003
Funny Cide
3rd
Empire Maker

2002
War Emblem
8th
Sarava

1999
Charismatic
3rd
Lemon Drop Kid

1998
Real Quiet
2nd
Victory Gallop

1997
Silver Charm
2nd
Touch Gold

1989
Sunday Silence
2nd
Easy Goer

1987
Alysheba
4th
Bet Twice

1981
Pleasant Colony
3rd
Summing

1979
Spectacular Bid
3rd
Coastal

1971
Canonero II
4th
Pass Catcher

1969
Majestic Prince
2nd
Arts and Letters

1968
#Forward Pass
2nd
Stage Door Johnny

1966
Kauai King
4th
Amberoid

1964
Northern Dancer
3rd
Quadrangle

1961
Carry Back
7th
Sherluck

1958
Tim Tam
2nd
Cavan

1944
Pensive
2nd
Bounding Home

1936
Bold Venture
did not start
Granville

1932
Burgoo King
did not start
Faireno

#Won Kentucky Derby via disqualification
Note: I'll Have Another was not included because he was retired before the Belmont Stakes. 
American Pharoah is an amazing racehorse, and the way he dominated in his Preakness victory left all horse racing fans, including myself, asking “could this finally be the one?”
Both American Pharoah’s trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza are confident in their horse and American Pharoah’s early speed will be a very big weapon on Saturday.  That being said, from a gambling perspective (and we are here to make money!), I am compelled to try to beat a horse who is 3-to-5 shot on the morning line and attempting to rewrite 37 years of history in the Belmont Stakes.  For that reason, below are three horses I believe are capable of upsetting American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes: 
#3 Madefromlucky:  He looked like a new horse when he won the Peter Pan Stakes after trainer Todd Pletcher took the blinkers off for that race.  Outstanding jockey Javier Castellano rode Madefromlucky for the first time in the Peter Pan, and he is back aboard for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, so perhaps they make a good team together.  Madefromlucky finished second to American Pharoah in the Arkansas Derby in April.
MADEFROMLUCKY (outside) WORKING AT BELMONT PARK LAST WEEK

#6 Frosted: Out of the 18 horses in the Kentucky Derby, Frosted was really the only horse positioned towards the back of the pack early to run well late in the race. Frosted shipped to Belmont Park after the Kentucky Derby, where he has trained in the five weeks since the Kentucky Derby, so he may have a “home court advantage” on his side.  Another positive note for Frosted is that his trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and jockey Joel Rosario have both already won the Belmont Stakes in their careers.  
#8 Materiality: With only four races under his belt, Materiality is the least experienced runner in the Belmont Stakes.  He looked awesome over the winter in Florida, where he was 3-for-3 including a victory in the $1-million Besilu Stables Florida Derby.  Materiality was completely taken out of his game after breaking badly from the gate forced him to run 13th early in the Kentucky Derby, and should be more effective while running closer to the pace in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday.
Wagering Strategy:
$10 exacta 6 with 5
$5 exacta 6 with 3
$5 exacta 6 with 8
$1.5 million Belmont StakesSaturday, June 6, Belmont Park, 6:50 p.m. ET1 1/2 miles, dirt, 3-year-oldsTV COVERAGE: 4:30-7 p.m. ET on NBC 

PP

Horse

Jockey

Trainer

Owner

ML Odds

1

Mubtaahij

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Mike de Kock

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum
 

10-1

2

Tale of Verve

Gary Stevens

Dallas Stewart

Charles Fipke
 

15-1

3

Madefromlucky

Javier Castellano

Todd Pletcher

Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol
 

12-1

4

Frammento

Mike Smith

Nick Zito

Mossarosa
 

30-1

5

American Pharoah

Victor Espinoza

Bob Baffert

Zayat Stables
 

3-5

6

Frosted

Joel Rosario

Kiaran McLaughlin

Godolphin Racing
 

5-1

7

Keen Ice

Kent Desormeaux

Dale Romans

Donegal Racing
 

20-1

8

Materiality

John Velazquez

Todd Pletcher

Alto Racing
 

6-1