The final leg of the Triple Crown will be on June 5^th.

But unfortunately, there will be no rematch between Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky as the connections of both have decided to pass up on the 2010 Belmont Stakes this Saturday.

While a few veterans of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness will be there, it looks like there will be lots of new shooters to fill out the field.

Here is the list of the top contenders for the 2010 Belmont Stakes:

Ice Box – Trained by infamous Nick Zito, Ice Box broke his maiden in October at the Meadowlands, and then followed that up with an allowance win at Gulfstream in January. He made his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on February 20, finishing 5th beaten 12 lengths. He came back to win the Florida Derby (G1) on March 20. Finished a fast-closing second in the Kentucky Derby beaten 2 1/2 lengths.

First Dude – After finishing 2nd in his first two starts, he finally broke his maiden in January at Gulfstream. Then he followed that with an allowance win also at Gulfstream, then finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. He set the pace in the Preakness, finishing second beaten just 3/4 length by Lookin at Lucky.

Fly Down – Another Nick Zito trained horse, he won an allowance at Gulfstream in February, followed by a 9th place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on March 27. He came back next to win the Dwyer Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on May 9, earning a career-best 99 Beyer.

Stately Victor – After breaking his maiden at Saratoga…

You just know which horse will most horse racing fans be rooting for this weekend.

This Saturday will mark the 135th Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the second leg in the race for the Triple Crown and like almost every year, everyone would love to see the Derby champ, this time it’s Super Saver, to win the Preakness Stakes and have a shot at winning the Triple Crown, a feat nobody has accomplished in thirty two years, as no one since Affirmed back in 1978 has been able to pull off horse racing’s version of the trifecta.

2010 Kentucky Derby champion Super Saver entered into the field for the Preakness Stakes looking to take the second of three steps for Triple Crown glory. One can’t deny that everyone will be focused on this horse and its jockey, Calvin Borel.

Pulling off a flawless race in the Kentucky Derby, Calvin Borel was able to run a masterful sprint around the track and have his horse in a position to take it in the end. He had not won a race in 2010 up to the Derby, but getting to the rail was exactly what Saver needed to do to make his winning dash to the roses.

Can Borel pull off the feat again? Early odds makers say he can with current odds running at 5 to 3 for him to repeat.

Showing a new dimension and given a perfect ride, the bay son of Maria’s Mon is two wins away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 32 years. Super Saver is a homebred out of the A.P. Indy mare Supercharger.

Super Saver had flashed early speed in each of his first…

Can the Kentucky Derby champ continue his campaign for this year’s Triple Crown?

That question is always asked every single time the second leg of the race for the Triple Crown marches on and in the 2010 Preakness Stakes, it just so happened that this time it’s Kentucky Derby champion Super Saver trying to win at Pimlico and continue to chase after Triple Crown glory.

The Kentucky Derby champion Super Saver entered into the field for the Preakness Stakes looking to take the second of three steps for Triple Crown glory. One can’t deny that everyone will be focused on this horse and its jockey, Calvin Borel. Of course, there will be others looking to put an end to his Triple Crown trail. Who are these killjoys? Let’s begin with Paddy OPrado.

Paddy OPrado cannot be discounted as a possible contender. This horse’s pet peeve has always been getting caught up in traffic, and such was the problem again at the Kentucky Derby. Paddy OPrado got caught up in the beginning of the race in the jumbled up field and was only able to shake free towards the end of the race.

Oprado almost took the race from Super Saver, going stride for stride until a late charging Ice Box nipped him at the end to take second. If the horse can come up with that strong of a performance after getting caught up in traffic, what happens he has some breathing room between him and the other contenders?

We also have Lookin at Lucky. Bettors should have known that…

Yep, the horse racing season begins.

The 2010 Kentucky Derby will celebrate the 136^th year Churchill Downs host the first leg of the Triple Crown series. With the Derby set this weekend, which of the top contenders will you be betting on come raceday?

One of the favorites for the race is Sidney’s Candy. Sidney’s Candy broke his maiden at Del Mar in his second start last year. He won the San Vicente for his 2010 debut then won the San Felipe in his first start longer than 7 furlongs. He won the Santa Anita Derby for his final prep and will be under Jockey Talamo for the Derby.

We also have Awesome Act, who had 5 starts in England last year before shipping to the US where he finished 4th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The horse was shipped back to England after.

Then, Awesome Act had another stint in American soil when he won the Gotham at Aqueduct for his 2010 debut, followed by a 3rd place finish in the Wood Memorial (G1). Awesome Act should also have a strong race this weekend.

Other contenders who will be competing for the Kentucky Derby are coming from renowned trainer Todd Pletcher, one of which is Devil May Care. Last year, she broke her maiden then won the Frizette at Belmont Park before finishing…

Who’ll you take?

That’s exactly what most bettors are contemplating about these days heading to the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

And as far as the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita is concerned, horse racing enthusiasts can look at the top three favorites to win it all over the weekend. The question is, who should they take come raceday?

First we have Zenyatta, who is listed as the favorite with 7/2 odds. The 2008 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner, is expected to start in the 1 1/4 mile race on Santa Anita’s synthetic track in an effort to get her named 2009 Horse of the Year.

Zenyatta has been the favorite in her last nine races and she’s never gone farther than a mile and an eighth. Zenyatta likes Santa Anita’s main track and it looks like she actually might thrive going a mile and a quarter.

Then we have Rip Van Winkle, who carries a 4-1 record in his career. The colt holds two wins in 2009, taking the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Rip Van Winkle has been the favorite only twice in eight career starts. He also will be running on a synthetic surface for the first time, so there will be bettors who have reservations about him on the surface.

Belmont Stakes and Travers champ Summer Bird should be…

Because you never really know what’ll happen until the fat lady sings.

And as far as the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic is concerned, the fat lady could be singing for these three thoroughbreds at the end of the day.

Yes, we’re going to take a closer look at them underdogs looking to make a name for themselves in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Entries for the main event include Summer Bird at 6/1 odds, Gio Ponti at 9/1, Mastercraftsman and Twice Over both at 10/1, and Richard’s Kid at 18/1 odds. We’ll also have Colonel John, Mine That Bird, and Einstein at 20/1 odds, and Regal Ransom and Bullsbay at 25/1.

The three huge underdogs coming into this Saturday’s race are Girolamo at 30/1, and Chocolate Candy and Awesome Gem at 50/1. If you’re looking to win big this weekend, you better take a look at these thoroughbreds because each of ‘em just may have enough to steal it from the likes of Zenyatta and Summer Bird.

Girolamo, who recently won the Grade 2, $150,000 Jerome Handicap for 3-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s Godolphin Stable. Girolamo won for the third time in as many starts this year and fourth from six lifetime races.

Chocolate Candy, on the other hand, finished fifth in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes over 1 1/8 miles last month. Earlier this year, he won the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby and California Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

Owned by Jenny Craig, Chocolate Candy is winless in…

The Breeders Cup World Championships is just a few days away.

Dubbed as one of the most prestigious events in horse racing, the 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will run run Friday, Nov. 6 through Saturday, Nov. 7 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

The Breeders’ Cup annually attracts the best horses from North America and Europe. It is the richest prize-money event in sports, consisting of 14 races and purses totaling to $25.5 million. Once again, this year’s Breeders’ Cup will be highlighted by the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic, the feature race of the weekend.

Opening odds have listed Zenyatta as the favorite with 7/2 odds. Other favorites include Rip Van Winkle (5/1) and Summer Bird (6/1).

Zenyatta holds wins this year in the Milday Handicap, the Vanity Handicap, and the Clement L. Hirsch Handicap. Last June, Zenyatta won the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park for the second straight year. She carried 129 pounds, spotting her rivals 13 to 18 pounds, and became the first horse to win under such a weight assignment since 1977.

In 2008, she won it under 126 pounds.

On August 17, 2009 Zenyatta’s connections ruled out Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar on September 6. On October 10, she won her second Lady’s Secret in her same, come from behind fashion. Zenyatta will be looking to become the first filly to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic since its inception. Zenyatta won the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic in 2008, but has yet to run against males in her career.

Other big hitters include Rip Van Winkle, who carries a 4-1…

Yep, a lot of guys will be gunning for Mine That Bird this weekend.

In case you don’t know it yet, the 141st Belmont Stakes is on this weekend as the top horses in the country will be looking to win the last leg of this year’s Triple Crown trail and end the season on a high note.

With Rachel Alexandra out, Mine That Bird took over the reigns as the heavy favorite at Belmont Park. After all, he is the reigning Kentucky Derby champion and came an inch close from winning the Preakness as well.

However, there will be others looking to challenge the horse this weekend, one of which is Luv Gov. Named after disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, the horse was last seen making his stakes debut in the Preakness. He was never a factor in the race. He settled early at the back of the pack, got forced eight wide entering the stretch, and was only able to hold his ground as a few fast fading stragglers went past him in reverse.

He wound up eighth.

On the plus side, he never exerted any real effort in the race, so he’ll be reasonably fresh and ready for the Belmont.

Luv Gov is a homebred son of Ten Most Wanted. His first crop of foals are just three…

As of this writing, Rachel Alexandra is still a no go for Belmont this Saturday.

You read it, and since we only have a few more days before the 141st Belmont Stakes gets going at Belmont Park in New York City, chances are, it’ll stay that way until raceday. That means, Mine That Bird should be the ULTIMATE, HEAVY FAVORITE, to win at Belmont Park. The thoroughbred, after all, won the 2009 Kentucky Derby before finishing second best at Pimlico.

Mine That Bird, if he wins the 2009 Belmont Stakes, will become only the 12th horse to complete the Derby – Belmont double and the first one since Thunder Gulch did it, 14 years ago in 1995.

Of course, there will be challengers and these horses should prove to be big ones.

One of which is Dunkirk. Dunkirk finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby in his last start, which was his fourth lifetime for trainer Todd Pletcher. He earned points for running style as he stalked the pace in his two wins, he has 4 starts as a 3-year-old, has topped the Beyer par of 106 with his 108 effort in the Florida Derby, and his dosage index is under 4. However he did not race as a 2-year-old, skipped the Preakness, did not have a sharp prep nor have any starts at Belmont Park, and he has points on the right side of his dosage profile.

Charitable Man, on the other hand, exits a…

No, there won’t be any flying privates making any escapes this weekend.

What we are trying to imply here are two of the contenders looking to make a big impact on the 141st Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park this weekend. Yes, the hroses are named Flying Private and Miners Escape.

Flying Private continued an impressive move which saw him open at 25/1 before moving to 20/1 earlier this week and now to 16/1 where he currently resides. Flying Private finished fourth beaten 4 lengths in the Preakness for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, which ”just” qualifies as a sharp prep race with a Beyer Speed Figure of 102, not quite par but earns points for breaking 100.

Flying Private ran 4th in an optional claimer at Oaklawn for his 2009 debut, then was 2nd and 4th in similar races also at Oaklawn. Ran 2nd by a head in the Mountain Valley Stakes there then shipped to Turfway to run 2nd in the Lane’s End Stakes. Put in an even effort to finish 5th in the Arkansas Derby. In the Kentucky Derby, he was 5 wide on the first turn then stopped badly after 1 mile finishing 19th and last. In the Preakness he raced 10th early and put in a mild rally to finish 4th beaten 4 lengths.

On the negative side he has too many starts at both 2 and 3, lacks a stakes win…