The $1M Belmont Stakes for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds will be run on Saturday, June 6 at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY. It is called the Test of the Champion for its grueling 12-furlong length and is the final leg of the Triple Crown series. This year, even without the anticipation of a Triple Crown champion, the Belmont Stakes will be full of drama with the inclusion of this year's Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and the possibility of this year's Kentucky Oaks - and Preakness Stakes winner - Rachel Alexandra. Also in contention is Peter Pan champion Charitable Man, who has recovered from an injury suffered at the end of last year and is in peak condition.

Mine That Bird proved that his Kentucky Derby win on May 2 was not a fluke with a thrilling come-from-behind bid in the Preakness Stakes that fell a mere length short. Despite losing out on a chance to become the first Triple Crown winner in over 30 years, Mine That Bird has exceeded all expectations; the Chip Woolley trainee came into the Triple Crown series off two losses at Sunland Park and without having run any significant prep races. In the Belmont Stakes, Mine That Bird will be one of only two entered (D. Wayne Lukas' charge Flying Private is the second) to have run in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, which means that his conditioning, stamina and ability to put together a third straight spectacular performance will be the key to his success. Mine That Bird does have the pedigree to take on the 1 ½-mile course - his sire, Birdstone, won the Belmont Stakes in 2004.

Horse racing fans are anxious to see Rachel Alexandra race against males again following her dominating Preakness Stakes victory. But her connections, including owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen, aren't in a hurry to decide her next race. The Preakness Stakes was more demanding of the Medaglia d'Oro filly than any of her previous races and the off track was not to her liking. As well, the 1 ½-mile distance will be a challenge for the Kentucky Oaks winner, and her front-running style may not work to her advantage. But fillies have won the Belmont Stakes before - just two years ago in 2007, Rags to Riches stunned a field that included future Horse of the Year Curlin with her victory. But until a decision on her racing future is made, horse racing fans will just have to wait for a rematch with 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird.

One of the newcomers who has a chance at upsetting the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners is Charitable Man. Considered a frontrunner for the Triple Crown as a 2-year-old off a stunning win in the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park in September, Charitable Man came out of that race with a leg fracture, an injury that forced him to the sidelines and out of training. His first race back was a seventh-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes on Polytrack, but the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is back in peak form, winning the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes on May 8 at Belmont Park. "He's a fresh horse," McLaughlin said, "he's bred to get the mile and a half, and he's two for two on this track."

Also slated to run in the Belmont Stakes are Mr. Hot Stuff, Quality Road, Chocolate Candy, Dunkirk, Miner's Escape, Luv Gov and Summer Bird.

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Looking for our Archive of Expert Racing Analysis by Steve Davidowitz? Click here to find his take on the 2008 racing season including reviews for the 2008 Triple Crown and the 2008 Breeders' Cup races.