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Belmont Stakes Preview: 3 storylines to watch

Al Bello / Getty Images Sport / Getty

When: Saturday, June 10
Post time: 6:37 p.m. ET
Where: Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y.
T.V. U.S. - NBC, 5 p.m. ET; Canada - TSN, 5 p.m. ET

On paper, Saturday’s Belmont Stakes looks like a hodge-podge of underperformers and new shooters that will have bettors licking their lips in hopes of a big payout. There's no Triple Crown on the line, and neither the winner of the Kentucky Derby (Always Dreaming) nor the Preakness Stakes champ (Cloud Computing) is entered in the race. Also, there are three new horses who did not compete in either the Derby or the Preakness.

Nicknamed the "Test of a Champion" for its 1.5-mile grind, the Belmont has produced some nail-biting finishes, including last year's rendition that was decided by a nose. It's also featured some blowouts, like Secretariat's 31-length romp. Big Red holds the track record at 2:24.

2017 Post Positions

Horse Morning Line
1. Twisted Tom 20-1
2. Tapwrit 6-1
3. Gormley 8-1
4. J Boys Echo 15-1
5. Hollywood Handsome 30-1
6. Lookin At Lee 5-1
7. Irish War Cry 7-2
8. Senior Investment 12-1
9. Meantime 15-1
10. Multiplier 15-1
11. Patch 12-1
Epicharis (scratched)

(Editor's note: Epicharis was scratched Saturday morning after failing to pass a pre-race veterinary exam)

Has Flay cooked up a Belmont repeat?

Over the years, celebrity chef Bobby Flay has won his fair share of "Iron Chef" competitions, but now he's focused on winning major horse races - so much so that just last week it was announced he'd bought a share of Belmont Stakes long shot J Boys Echo. It's not uncommon for bold-faced names to buy into a share of a horse on the eve of a major race, but it's rare that it works out. Last year, though, Flay bought into Belmont long shot Creator just days before the event, and in one of the most thrilling finishes in the race's history, the grey colt out-nosed another gray colt, Destin, to take the Belmont at odds of 16-1. Flay, a New Yorker himself, hopes to keep his undefeated streak alive on Saturday.

Related: 3 horses to watch in the Belmont Stakes

Another crown for Brown?

When New York-based trainer Chad Brown takes a gamble, it’s usually a good bet. Brown deliberately skipped the Kentucky Derby with Cloud Computing to shoot for the Preakness, and the move paid off when his horse upset Derby winner Always Dreaming. Brown's new shooter for the Belmont is Twisted Tom, the only horse in the field who's won a race at Belmont Park. Twisted Tom's owners put up $75,000 just to enter the race, and the horse is teamed up with champion jockey Javier Castellano, who rode Cloud Computing to Preakness glory.

Will Japan's dreams come true?

(Editor's note: Epicharis was scratched Saturday morning after failing to pass a pre-race veterinary exam)

Japanese horse Epicharis, who's a new shooter to the Triple Crown challenge, arrived at Belmont Park with a legitimate shot and the hopes of his country riding on his back. However, it was reported that he was lame on his right front foot and has not trained since Tuesday, which is concerning. Still, as of Friday, New York racing officials say Epicharis' connections are optimistic he'll be healthy enough to compete. Should he run, Japan, a nation known for enthusiastically betting on horses, would certainly rally around him, and according to BloodHorse, the New York Racing Association hopes the Japanese wagering pool on the Belmont will reach between $10 million and $20 million.

Related: Experts torn on which horse will top sparse Belmont Stakes field

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