Can MadeFromLucky Beat American Pharoah in the 2015 Belmont Stakes?

Of this year’s Belmont Stakes entrants who scare us when it comes to the potential of beating American Pharoah and thus depriving him of a Triple Crown win, MadeFromLucky is it.

Think last year’s Belmont Stakes to understand the similarities here.

He won the Peter Pan Stakes on May 9 at Belmont Park and could pull a “Tonalist” at this year’s Belmont Stakes.  Tonalist was the horse that hadn’t entered either the Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes and went on to upset California Chrome in Belmont, thus depriving him of his Triple Crown.  Tonalist had also won the Peter Pan.

There is also the Todd Pletcher factor.  Sure he’s 1-for-43 in the Kentucky Derby and typically skips the Preakness, but the Belmont Stakes is a whole other animal.

Out of 18 starters, the future Hall of Famer has two wins, four seconds and two thirds.

"It's our home track. It seems like our horses do well there," Pletcher said. "I think sometimes with the additional time in between races, it works well for us. For whatever reason, it's been pretty successful for us."

"The Peter Pan was the first time I rode him," jockey Javier Castellano said. "The way he did it, very nice and smooth and nice rhythm, I think he fits perfect in this race. He's the kind of horse who comes from behind. He'll run all day. After the Peter Pan, he was galloping out steady and strong. There's going to be some speed. Everybody will be targeting American Pharoah, and hopefully they'll go after him and we'll be in the middle of the pack and hopefully keep coming, keep coming.

"I think my horse will improve a lot, and it will be a good test. At a mile-and-a-half, anything can happen."

Here are your latest Belmont Stakes odds:

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com