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The Belmont Stakes is being run for the 142nd time on Saturday, June 5, with post time at 6:30 p.m. EST. The storyline that is getting the most attention in this race is the lack of star power - for the first time since 2006 and only the third time since 1970 neither the Kentucky Derby winner nor the Preakness Stakes champ are in the field.

Don't fall for it. This field might not feature household names, but it is a very compelling collection of 12 horses which includes several that could use a win here to launch themselves into serious and lasting stardom. Last year Summer Bird was lightly raced and lightly regarded coming into this race, and his win was the starting point for the best summer and fall of any three-year-old colt. This is going to be a very good race, and it has a chance to be great.

Here's how the field sets up with 2010 Belmont Stakes post positions, jockeys and morning line odds:

1. Dave In Dixie, Calvin Borel (20/1)
2. Spangled Star, Garrett Gomez (30/1)
3. Uptowncharlybrown, Rajiv Maragh (10/1)
4. Make Music For Me, Joel Rosario (10/1)
5. Fly Down, John Velazquez (9/2)
6. Ice Box, Jose Lezcano (3/1)
7. Drosselmeyer, Mike Smith (12/1)
8. Game On Dude, Martin Garcia (10/1)
9. Stately Victor, Alan Garcia (15/1)
10. Stay Put, Jamie Theriot (20/1)
11. First Dude, Ramon Dominguez (7/2)
12. Interactif, Javier Castellano (12/1)

The first thing that stands out when you look at the field is the cluster atop the odds board. It's no surprise that Ice Box is the favorite coming off a nice Florida Derby win and a second place in the Kentucky Derby that was probably good enough to win easily if it weren't for traffic issues. It's also not a surprise that First Dude - a very impressive second in the Preakness and seemingly tailor made for this track - and Ice Box' stablemate Fly Down - absolutely dominant in winning the Dwyer over this same Belmont track a week after the Derby - are the second and third choices. What surprised me, though, was that the latter two were placed as close to Ice Box as they were. I was fully expecting Ice Box to go off as a fairly heavy favorite, but with the prices as they are his post time favoritism is far from certain.

It's a different race for Nick Zito than he has probably gotten used to. He has an extremely good chance of winning this race thanks to having  both the favorite and the third choice under his care. The legend has won this race twice before, but he's always done it from out of the spotlight. In 2004 Birdstone, the sire of both Mine That Bird and Summer Bird, sunned Smarty Jones at odds of 36/1. Da' Tara was an even more unexpected winner in 2008 when he ended Big Brown's Triple Crown bid at 38/1. That horse had won only once before - breaking his maiden as a two year old - and never won again after the Belmont. On paper the two horses he brings this time are much more accomplished, so it will be very interesting to see how Zito does when he's not an underdog.

The post position draw is random, and not particularly relevant in a long race like this, but there are a couple of positions that fit the storylines too well. First, Calvin Borel drew the rail on longshot Dave in Dixie. When he was announcing the post positions track announcer Tom Durkin made the point that Borel is on the rail to start and isn't likely to leave it. Borel had a disastrous ride in the Belmont last year, and will be looking to redeem himself for both that effort and a lousy performance in the Preakness this year. The other fitting draw is First Dude in the 11th hole. That's the same position he was in in the Preakness, and he used that spot to catapult himself from an also ran to the top levels of this three year old class.

Beyond the favorites there are a few other chances to make history in this field. If Make Music For Me wins - which he showed he is capable of doing when he unleashed a massive move from the very back of the field that came up just short in the Derby to wind up fourth - then Alexis Barbra will become the first woman to win a Triple Crown race as a trainer. Mike Smith could complete his career Triple Crown if he can get Drosselmeyer home first, and Calvin Borel could do the same with Dave In Dixie. Though it seems unlikely, Garrett Gomez could finally shed the unfortunate title of best jockey never to win a Triple Crown race if Spangled Star stuns the field. If Uptowncharlybrown wins then the Guinness people should be notified because there could be a record set for most crowded winner's circle ever - the horse is co-owned by 59 partners.

Check out Doc’s Sports homepage for the most updated Belmont Stakes post positions and field lineup, along with daily exclusive content, each day leading up to the third leg of the Triple Crown. We also offer our expert Belmont Stakes Picks for just $20! Call us toll-free at 1-866-238-6696 for more information.