Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Trainer: Chad Brown
Odds: 6-1

A deep closer, Street Life is facing an unfavorable pace scenario in that there aren't a ton of front-runners signed up. He finished a disappointing sixth in the Wood Memorial but improved to third in the Peter Pan Stakes to earn this opportunity at a classic. Brown said Street Life has matured in the past two months and become more focused. If there's a slow pace, Street Life will be closer to the lead than in recent races, Brown said.

Jockey: Jose Lezcano
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Odds: 20-1

Though he has a 2-for-2 lifetime record, Unstoppable U is making a huge class jump for his first stakes race. He has passed the looks test in on-track training this week but never before has raced around two turns. A victory would seem inconceivable if not for his trainer. McPeek scored at 70-1 in the Belmont Stakes 10 years ago with Sarava.

Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Michael Matz
Odds: 5-2

Union Rags shot to the top of the Kentucky Derby futures lines with impressive victories in the Champagne and Fountain of Youth stakes. But he finished a well-beaten third in the Florida Derby and a disappointing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. Matz elected to skip the Preakness and give Union Rags time to regroup. With tactical early speed and six in-the-money finishes in seven career starts, Union Rags needs only slight improvement Saturday to take the Belmont.

Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Trainer: Ken McPeek
Odds: 15-1

McPeek's second long shot in the race has three wins in nine career races but none to suggest he can win a classic. He earned the opportunity to prove us wrong with a victory in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs in his most recent race. As with Unstoppable U, his best asset might be McPeek's history bringing home bombers in the Belmont.

Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Dale Romans
Odds: 9-5

He was 5-1 on the morning line set before the scratch of I'll Have Another. Now, Dullahan is the favorite. He finished third in the Kentucky Derby, beaten by only 1-3/4 lengths after a troubled and wide trip. He figured to be I'll Have Another's biggest threat. Now, he's the horse to beat.

Jockey: Alex Solis
Trainer: Manuel Azpurua
Odds: 50-1

He finished fifth, fourth and fifth in lesser stakes races in Florida in his three most recent races with low speed figures. At 50-1 even after the scratch of I'll Have Another, Ravelo's Boy's best chance seems to be in the saddle with cagey veteran Solis riding.

Jockey: Rosie Napravnik
Trainer: Dominick Schettino
Odds: 50-1

His only win was in a maiden race, and his most recent outing was a fourth-place finish in an allowance race. Napravnik is attempting to become the second woman to ride a winner in a Triple Crown race, joining Julie Krone, who won the 1993 Belmont Stakes aboard Colonial Affair.

Jockey: Kent Desormeaux
Trainer: Doodnauth Shivmangal
Odds: 50-1

Shivmangal, a New York-based trainer with a reputation for bringing home long shots, bought Guyana Star Dweej for $5,500 last year and has turned down an offer of $300,000 for him. Trainer confidence might be the best reason to back this bomber; Shivmangal has paid $26,000 in entry fees, so he's not there on a lark. In fact, you'll be getting more value for your dollar is he wins than the trainer will from the purse money. The colt's only win in nine starts, however, is his maiden breaker. Desormeaux hops aboard after losing his ride on Dullahan because of the controversy surrounding his refusal to take a Breathalyzer test at Belmont three weeks ago.

Jockey: Mike Smith
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Odds: 4-1

How odd would it be if the connections of Bodemeister end up winning the final leg of the Triple Crown with both I'll Have Another and Bodemeister watching instead of running? Bodemeister was run down by I'll Have Another in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Now, Paynter figures to be the front-runner. Ahmed Zayat, who owns both colts, said Baffert was higher on Paynter's talent than Bodemeister's when the two were starting out. That's reason enough to take a long look with your wagering dollar. Even better is that Paynter is on the upswing, having gone from fourth in the Santa Anita Derby to second in the Derby Trial and first in an allowance on the Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico.

Jockey: Corey Nakatani
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Odds: 20-1

Either Lukas is beyond stubborn, or he is smarter than the rest of us. He has saddled Optimizer to finish ninth in the Arkansas Derby, 11th in the Kentucky Derby and sixth in the Preakness, but he's back for the final leg of the Triple Crown series. In fact, Optimizer will be the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races this year. His best races have come as a deep closer, but he's not alone in that style. Lukas, winner of four Belmonts in his Hall of Fame career, knows one thing: You can't win if you don't run.

Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Odds: Scratched

After he won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes with powerful stretch runs, I'll Have Another was the 4-5 favorite on the original Belmont Stakes morning line to complete the Triple Crown sweep. But he was scratched Friday after suffering a tendon injury to his left front leg. That makes it 34 straight years without a Triple Crown winner since Affirmed accomplished the feat in 1978.

Jockey: Ramon Dominguez
Trainer: Kelly Breen
Odds: 15-1

The last horse on the wrong side of the Kentucky Derby cutoff, My Adonis gets the chance to run in a classic after a third-place finish in the Canonero II Stakes at Pimlico on May 5. With his early speed and outside post, he might be the one horse that can make Paynter go too fast early and help the cause of the stretch-runners. Can My Adonis get an easy lead and slow the pace to the point he can steal a win? Doubtful, but stranger things have happened.