The big 2012 Belmont Stakes names—Triple Crown contender I'll Have Another, Dullahan, Union Rags—have dominated coverage of Saturday's race for so long that it's hard, sometimes, to remember other horses are being allowed to compete. Nevertheless, with betting continuing it's time for the underdogs to get into this fight, at least for the pros out there. One of them that's been getting particular buzz is Street Life, a horse almost nobody's seen because he's hardly raced.
Matt Gardner, at SB Nation proper, writes in his scouting report that Street Life is a closer, which could be bad in a slow-paced race, but is also improving every time people see him, which is what's created the positive, kind of excited uncertainty that's pushed him up to the front of some bettors' minds. (He's also known for his solid genetic links—he was sired by Street Sense, winner of the 2007 Kentucky Derby.)
The Belmont Stakes is going to be dominated by I'll Have Another until the moment he's won or lost the Triple Crown. But even behind Dullahan and company there are interesting horses around.
More Belmont Stakes 2012 coverage from SB Nation St. Louis:
- Of course, behind Street Life lurk the even bigger Belmont Stakes underdogs.
- If you're looking for a reason to root against I'll Have Another, you could do worse than learning that his owner runs the scammy lender CashCall.
- Late additions to the field like My Adonis could also threaten the Triple Crown status quo.