Yet once again we have no Triple Crown , now an all-time high drought of 35 years after Kentucky Derby winner Orb failed to fire his best in a fourth place finish in the Preakness Stakes behind the gate to wire upset winner Oxbow.

For the casual sports fan that might leave the $1 million Belmont Stakes low on the list of activities in three weeks, but for horseplayers and bettors the race is shaping up to be an outstanding betting affair.

There is no doubt that trainer D. Wayne Lukas is bringing Oxbow back, and it appears likely at this point that Orb will be in the field, giving us a showdown of the winners of the first two jewels of the Triple Crown.

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In addition the runner up and third place finisher from the Kentucky Derby, Golden Soul and Revolutionary will be back in action after sitting out the Preakness. 

Toss in the filly Unlimited Budget, who has won four of her five races and was third in the Kentucky Oaks last out and we have the beginning of an intriguing line up.

Trainer Todd Pletcher started five runners in the Derby and was blanked, and had no starters in the Preakness. In addition to Revolutionary and Unlimited Budget, he is likely going to send out Overanalyze and Palace Malice, the 11th and 12th place finishers of the Derby.

Dreaming of Julia, who had a tough trip in a fourth place finish in the Kentucky Oaks could possibly join her stablemate Unlimited Budget which would give us two fillies in the race, but at this point it seems unlikely Pletcher will start both. The Mother Goose on June 22 is the more likely target for Dreaming of Julia.

Hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert originally indicated Power Broker was a Belmont candidate but said today he will pass, but may still start Code West, who won an allowance race on the Preakness Day card.

Peter Pan winner Freedom Child is headed toward the Belmont. The Tom Albertrani trainee bounced back from a tenth place finish in the Wood Memorial with a 13 ¼ length gate to wire win in the slop to win the Peter Pan on May 11 at Belmont Park.

The colt may take some betting action off the big win, but he did take full advantage of a racing strip that was playing to inside speed that day.

Itsmyluckyday bounced back with a solid runner up finish in the Preakness after a non-threatening 15th in the Derby. Trainer Eddie Plesa was very pleased with his last start and said of his chances of running back in the Belmont “It’s 50-50 at best.”

Preakness third place finisher Mylute appears likely to run in all three Triple Crown races. The Tom Amoss trainee will again have jockey Rosie Napravnik aboard. The jockey is seeking to become just the second female rider to win a Triple Crown race. Julie Krone is the only female rider to win one of the classics, winning the Belmont Stakes in 1993 aboard Colonial Affair.

There are four other graded stakes on Belmont Stakes Day. The supporting features are the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap, $400,000 True North Handicap, $400,000 Woody Stephens and the $500,000 Just a Game.

Belmont Stakes Possible Starter and Early Odds
(Early odds provided by Michael Dempsey of turfnsport.com)

Code West   15/1
Freedom Child   10/1
Giant Finish   30/1
Golden Soul   10/1
Incognito   20/1
Itsmyluckyday   8/1
Micromanage   30/1
Mylute   6/1
Orb   3/1
Overanalyze   10/1
Oxbow   7/2
Palace Malice   20/1
Revolutionary   6/1
Unlimited Budget   15/1
Will Take Charge   20/1