Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom is the 2-1 morning line favorite for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. But can Team Valor’s colt, second to Shackleford in the Preakness, buck a six-year trend? The last six Belmont winners did not race in the Preakness.

Steve Asmussen, trainer of second-favorite, Nehro, runnerup to Animal Kingdom in the Kentucky Derby, opted out of the Preakness because he felt that asking four races in eight weeks was too much – Nehro was second by a neck in the G1 Arkansas Derby on April 16.

Preakness winner Shackleford, at 9-2, who placed Fourth in the Kentucky Derby and second by a head in the G1 Florida Derby on April 3, has drawn post position #12, which could be a handicap

Meanwhile, Master of Hounds, at 10-1, has drawn the favorable #1 post position – launching pad of 23 Belmont wins, 10 more than the next most favorable (3 and 5) positions. The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt, racing on turf in Ireland and Great Britain at two, was the beaten favorite last fall at Churchill Downs in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. This year, he was second by a nose on March 26, in the UAE Derby in Dubai, and finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, his first start on dirt and from the #19 post position.

Last year’s Belmont was claimed by Drosselmeyer at 13-1, in his first win at three. The $600,000 Keeneland yearling purchase was ineligible for the Kentucky Derby because he had not met earning requirements. His victory gave Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith his first Belmont win in 12 tries, and trainer Bill Mott his first Triple Crown event win.

Live racing was canceled at Belmont on Thursday, June 9 because of record-breaking high temperatures in New York, but cooler weather is expected for Saturday.

My money will be on Nehro and Master of Hounds.