Good Conditions for 2015 Belmont Stakes at Post Time

Good Conditions for 2015 Belmont Stakes at Post Time: Those praying for fair conditions in American Pharoah’s Triple Crown attempt got their wish, as the Belmont Stakes (GI) at 6:50 EST, is expected to be run on a fast track. Although American Pharoah is clearly proficient on a sloppy track, with a 2 for 2 record on wet dirt, winning on fast dirt would give his competition a greater chance, and therefore remove any lingering doubts about his special abilities since the track will play fair to all horses. There are no scratches in the race.

As discussed in previous articles, the Belmont is truly a unique event because of the 12 furlong, or 1.5 mile, distance. Whereas most route races at Belmont Park are run around one turn, the Belmont is run around two turns and wide, sweeping turns that make losing ground a major factor.

A quick search on Google reveals there is only a 20 percent chance of rain this afternoon. If by some chance the rain hit, it is unlikely to produce enough moisture to change the surface condition. The fact that Google thinks there will be only a two percent chance by 8 p.m. means the clouds are moving away from Elmont, N.Y., where Belmont Park is located.

Attendance is capped at 90,000 for the event, as NYRA officials hope to avoid the problems last year, which included traffic issues and poor access to public restrooms. According to the author of one Newsday article, a sellout crowd is expected. In today’s racing world, it is difficult to encourage bettors to attend the racetrack because of the high costs associated with parking and entrance fees. Once the bettor pays to get in, he is swarmed with past performance costs and the normally sky high food prices (depends on the track). Because the Belmont Stakes is a special day and one that involves a Triple Crown attempt this year, most fans are willing to open their wallets.

Some fans may try for a last minute attempt at attending the Belmont Stakes in person. Tickets will not be sold at the gate and must be purchased through Ticketmaster. NYRA makes this clear in a post on their official website. A quick look at the Ticketmaster website reveals there are no tickets available.

NYRA runs a Twitter account and they regularly update their profile with any important updates that may occur. In addition, their house handicapper Andy Serling sometimes posts important information relating to track bias (some days the inside part of the dirt is gold), as well as his own selections.

Both NBC Sports and NBC are covering the Belmont. The television schedule can be found on the official Belmont Stakes website. If not at the racetrack, sit back and enjoy the show! Whether American Pharoah wins or loses, this should be a great race and one that fans will remember.

NBC will begin coverage of the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes at 4:30 pm ET. Post time for the Belmont Stakes is set for approximately 6:50 pm ET and is the 11th race of the day at Belmont Park.

Belmont Stakes 2015 Post Positions & Odds
Race 11 6:50 pm ET
1 Mubtaahij 10-1 Jockey I. Ortiz/Trainer de Kock
2 Tale of Verve 15-1 Jockey Stevens/Trainer Stewart
3 Madefromlucky 12-1 Jockey Castellano/Trainer Pletcher
4 Frammento 30-1 Jockey Smith/Trainer Zito
5 American Pharoah 3-5 Jockey Espinoza/Trainer Baffert
6 Frosted 5-1 Jockey Rosario/Trainer McLaughlin
7 Keen Ice 20-1 Jockey Desormeaux/Trainer Romans
8 Materiality 6-1 Jockey Velazquez/Trainer Pletcher