Belmont Post Positions

The Belmont is almost here! I haven't been this excited for a Belmont since 2004!

1. Street Life
I'm keeping my eye on this one as the year goes on. He didn't race at two. Broke his maiden on the second try and went on to win the Broad Brush Stakes, finish sixth in the Wood Memorial (G1) and third in the Peter Pan Stakes (G2). He closed extremely quickly in the Peter Pan. 

2. Unstoppable U
He also didn't race at two. He's undefeated in two starts, breaking his maiden first out before going on to win a one-mile Belmont allowance leading wire-to-write and winning by six lengths.

3. Union Rags
At two, he broke his maiden first out, won the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2), won the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont, and finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He kicked off his three-year-old season with a victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) before finishing third in the Florida Derby (G1) after being caught in behind horses. He had a rough trip in the Kentucky Derby and finished seventh.

4. Atigun
At two, it took him four tries to break his maiden and then he went on to finish fifth in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). He kicked off this year with an allowance win, finished 11th in the Rebel Stakes (G2) and fifth in the Arkansas Derby (G1). He won an allowance last out.

5. Dullahan
At two, he broke his maiden on the third try, finished third in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3), won the Dixiana Breeders' Futurity (G1), and finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. This year he was second in the Palm Beach Stakes (G2), won the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), and finished third in the Kentucky Derby. He has a top-notch horse and an incredible closer, which he proved in the Derby.

6. Ravelo's Boy
He was heavily raced at two with ten starts but only two wins: a maiden and an allowance. He's winless in three starts this year: a fifth in the Gulfstream Park Derby, fourth in the Sam F. Davis (G3), and fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2).

7. Five Sixteen
Only has one win in six starts. He ran twice at two, finishing sixth in a maiden and tenth in a maiden at Belmont. Ran in three more maidens before finding a win and finished fourth in an allowance last out.

8. Guyana Star Dweej
Only one win in nine starts. Took eight tries to break his maiden and finished second in a Belmont allowance last out.

9. Paynter
He didn't race at two and is lightly raced this year. He broke his maiden first out, finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and second in the Derby Trial (G3).  He won a Pimlico allowance last out by almost six lengths after leading throughout.

10. Optimizer
Hasn't won a race since his maiden his first time out. He was fourth in the Kentucky Jockey club and eighth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Also finished ninth in the Risen Star (G2), second in the Rebel (G2) with an impressive last-second kick, ninth in the Arkansas Derby (G1), 11th in the Kentucky Derby, and sixth in the Preakness.

11. I'll Have Another
Looking to become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed! At two, he broke his maiden first out, finished second in the Best Pal Stakes (G2), and then finished sixth in the Hopeful Stakes (G1), his only finish out of the money. This year he won the Robert B. Lewis (G2) easily as a longshot and showed a lot of grit in his Santa Anita Derby (G1) win by a nose in a three-way stretch duel. He won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness by coming off-the-pace and running down Bodemeister in the final stretch.

12. My Adonis
He's winless in four starts this year, finishing third in the Holy Bull (G3), second in the Gotham (G2), seventh in the Wood Memorial (G1), and third in the Canonero II.