American Pharoah became the third horse in four years with a chance at the Triple Crown when he scored a seven-length victory in the Preakness Stakes on May 16. On Saturday, he either will be crowned a legend or he will be the 13th horse to fail since Affirmed swept the series in 1978. Last year, California Chrome’s Triple Crown bid ended with a fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes. In 2012, I’ll Have Another was scratched the day before the race after taking the first two thirds of the Triple Crown.
Seven challengers have been entered in Saturday’s $1.5-million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in the New York City suburbs. With the exception of newcomer Madefromlucky, all entrants started in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes.
Post time for the 1 ½-mile race is around 6:50. NBC’s broadcast begins at 4:30 p.m. with additional pre- and post-race coverage on their affiliate NBC Sports Network.
Following is the list of entries in post-position order, followed by each horse’s birthplace in parentheses.
1. Mubtaahij (Ireland)
Although foreigners are eligible for the Triple Crown series, the races generally attract only North American racers. So the Irish-born globetrotter Mubtaahij—the only Belmont Stakes entrant not born in Kentucky–is something of a novelty. He will be making his second stateside start after checking in eighth in the Kentucky Derby. He earned his ticket to America by winning the United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai in March. Last year he raced in England. His name is Arabic for cheery or elated.
Kentucky connection: Most of Mubtaahij’s ancestors were born in Europe but his all-American paternal line includes his great grandsire Seeking the Gold, a starter in the 1988 Kentucky Derby, who spent his stallion career at Claiborne Farm in Paris.
2. Tale of Verve (Kentucky)
Tale of Verve joined the Triple Crown trail in the Preakness Stakes where he finished second as a 28-to1 longshot. He was on the alternate list fo Kentucky Derby starters but scratched when there were not enough withdrawals by the deadline. The late bloomer earned his first career victory on April 23 at Keeneland in his sixth career start. He is trained by Kentucky and New Orleans-based Dallas Stewart, who has had four previous Belmont Stakes starters. Tale of Verve’s name is a combination of his sire and dam—Tale of Ekati and Verve.
Kentucky connection: Tale of Verve was listed as sold for $440,000 at Keeneland’s April two-year-old sale last year.
3. Madefromlucky (Kentucky)
A new shooter in the Triple Crown, Madefromlucky showed an affinity for Belmont Park on May 9 by winning the Peter Pan Stakes, a race named for a famous racehorse of yesteryear, not the fictional flying boy. In March he was second to American Pharoah in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. His name is derived from his sire Lookin At Lucky, a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles. Madefromlucky comes from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher who has had 18 Belmont Stakes starters including winners Rags to Riches (2007) and Palace Malice (2013).
Kentucky connection: Madefromlucky was sold for $70,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale.
4. Frammento (Kentucky)
After finishing 11th in the Kentucky Derby as a longshot, Frammento becomes the 25th Belmont Stakes starter for trainer Nick Zito who has won the race on two notable occasions. In 2004, his trainee Birdstone ended the Triple Crown bid of Smarty Jones by the narrowest of margins. In 2008, Zito’s D’ Tara was victorious while Derby-Preakness hero Big Brown finished last. Frammento’s name is Italian for “fragment” in reference to splinter injury he incurred as a youngster.
Kentucky connection: Frammento has been sold at auction twice in Kentucky. His price tag was $50,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November sale and he brought $85,000 the following year at Fasig-Tipton Co. July sale.
5. American Pharoah (Kentucky)
After winning the Kentucky Derby, American Pharoah sailed to his sixth consecutive victory in the Preakness Stakes on a muddy track at Pimlico in Baltimore. He returned to Churchill Downs for training and arrived at Belmont Park on Tuesday afternoon. This is trainer Bob Baffert’s fourth Triple Crown bid after Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). Jockey Victor Espinoza, a native of Mexico, is on the edge of Triple Crown glory for the third time after failed attempts on War Emblem and California Chrome last year. American Pharoah’s paternal grandsire Empire Maker won the 2003 Belmont Stakes.
Kentucky connection: American Pharoah is expected to begin his stallion career next year at Ashford Stud in Versailles after the international breeding operation purchased an undisclosed share following his Preakness Stakes victory.
6. Frosted (Kentucky)
Frosted is back in action after a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He rose to the cream of the crop by winning a key Derby prep race on April 4 after finishing second in most of his other starts. Trained by Lexington native Kiaran McLaughlin, Frosted is owned and bred by Godolphin Racing of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum whose Thoroughbred properties in central Kentucky includes Darley in Lexington. The glimmering gray looks like his label that has double meaning since the colt’s dam is Fast Cookie.
Kentucky connection: Frosted is by one of the world’s best stallions Tapit, who resides at Gainesway in Lexington.
7. Keen Ice (Kentucky)
Since winning last year at Churchill Downs, Keen Ice has spent his career racing against the nation’s best three-year-olds. He earned his way into the Kentucky Derby by collecting small portions of big prize money in those upper echelon races. He is back on track after checking in seventh in the Derby for Louisville-based trainer Dale Romans. The son of 2007 Belmont Stakes runner-up Curlin gets his name from a term describing advantageous slick ice in the sport of curling.
Kentucky connection: Keen Ice was sold twice at Keeneland. He was a $48,000 weanling at the November mixed sale in 2012 and returned the following year to the September yearling sale where he went for $120,000. His sire Curlin is a stallion at Lane’s End in Woodford County.
8. Materiality (Kentucky)
Materiality rejoins the Triple Crown series after finishing sixth in the Kentucky Derby. He proved he was top shelf material by winning the Florida Derby in late March. He comes from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher who has had 18 Belmont Stakes starters including winners Rags to Riches (2007) and Palace Malice (2013). Materiality’s sire Afleet Alex won the 2005 Belmont and Preakness Stakes.
Kentucky connection: Materiality was sold for $260,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. His sire Afleet Alex is a stallion at Gainesway in northern Fayette County.
(All photos from kentuckyderby.com)
Lexington-based freelance writer Liane Crossley is a lifelong lover of Thoroughbred racing who has held a variety of jobs in both barns and offices. Her favorite part of the industry is being with the horses and the people who share her passion for them. She can be reached at crossleyliane@yahoo.com