ELMONT, N.Y. – The combination of an apparently thriving American Pharoah and few challengers willing to take him on has resulted in an expected field of eight for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday, when American Pharoah will be heavily favored to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and the first in 37 years.

American Pharoah turned in a brilliant work Monday at Churchill Downs in advance of his scheduled flight Tuesday to New York. Within a few hours of that work, two of his potential challengers – Carpe Diem and The Truth Or Else – were pulled out of the race.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The prospective field for the Belmont Stakes on Saturday is now down to eight after Todd Pletcher said Monday that Carpe Diem would not run. The Truth or Else was withdrawn earlier Monday morning by his trainer, Ken McPeek.

Pletcher said Carpe Diem would point to the Haskell or the Jim Dandy later this summer.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Truth Or Else is out of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park with filling in an ankle, his trainer, Ken McPeek, said Monday morning on his Twitter account.

That brings the prospective Belmont field to nine: American Pharoah, Carpe Diem, Frammento, Frosted, Keen Ice, Madefromlucky, Materiality, Mubtaahij, and Tale of Verve.

Entries are taken, and posts drawn, on Wednesday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -  Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah completed his outstanding preparation for the Belmont with a final five-furlong breeze under Martin Garcia that was timed in 1:00.08 by DRF clocker Mike Welsch.

American Pharoah was to leave Churchill at 10 a.m. Tuesday for the short ride to Louisville International Airport, with departure on an equine air charter to New York scheduled for 11:30.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.  -  For a man on the verge of making racing history, now less than one week away from attempting to complete the Triple Crown on Saturday with American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes, trainer Bob Baffert couldn’t have been more relaxed or in better spirits than he was Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. 

Belmont Park
Weather: Clear
Track: Fast 
Temp: 65

ELMONT, N.Y. – Barring a late change in plans, it appears that all the major work is over for the seven Belmont Stakes hopefuls currently stabled on the grounds after MUBTAAHIJ and TALE OF VERVE turned in five-furlong breezes about 2 1/2 hours apart under perfect conditions here Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Tale of Verve failed to draw into the field for the Kentucky Derby, his connections immediately began thinking about the Belmont Stakes as an ideal race for their long-distance-running 3-year-old.

Feeling they needed a race in between, trainer Dallas Stewart and owner Charles Fipke chose the Preakness, where Tale of Verve rallied from well off the pace to finish second, seven lengths behind American Pharoah.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On a bright, warm Saturday morning at Churchill Downs, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah was sent through what figures to be his final gallop here, as the colt was tentatively scheduled to have his final breeze here Monday in preparation for the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

Trainer Bob Baffert was scheduled to return from his Southern California base Saturday night to be on hand Sunday and Monday amid mild weather.

American Pharoah’s march toward his date with destiny in the Belmont Stakes is very much a team effort. Those at the helm are well known, as Zayat Stables’ homebred champion and dual classic winner is in the hands of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and multiple classic-winning jockey Victor Espinoza. Assisting in the wings is a team that includes assistant trainers Jimmy and Dana Barnes, exercise riders Jorge Alvarez and Martin Garcia, and groom Eduardo Garcia.

Beginning in 1987, when Jack Van Berg took Alysheba to the brink of winning the Triple Crown, I have been to Belmont Park for 10 tries and left there with a fistful of programs worth considerably less than they might have been. So, here we go again.

What lingers from that first disappointment was not necessarily the sight of Alysheba and Chris McCarron trailing home fourth, far down the track from the freakish performance of Bet Twice. It was the scene at the Garden City Hotel later that night, where McCarron had rented a special room downstairs for a victory party.