There's no shortage of challengers looking to upend American Pharoah in the Belmont Stakes and spoil his chance to win the Triple Crown.
Two more horses have been added to the mix, raising to 10 the number of rivals the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner could face in the 1-1/2-mile Belmont on June 6. A field of 11 would match last year's, when Tonalist won the Belmont and ended California Chrome's Triple Crown try.
War Story and Conquest Curlinate are the most recent additions, and a few more 3-year-olds could join in the coming days.
Tale of Verve, a surprise runner-up in the Preakness, will try again, and a bunch of Derby also-rans are expected back after skipping the Preakness: Frosted (fourth in the Derby), Materiality (sixth), Keen Ice (seventh), Mubtaahij (eighth), Carpe Diem (10th), Frammento (11th) and War Story (16th). Also probable is Peter Pan Stakes winner Madefromlucky. Conquest Curlinate was second in the Peter Pan.
Materiality, Carpe Diem and Madefromlucky are all trained by two-time Belmont winner Todd Pletcher.
This will be the third Triple Crown try in four years. I'll Have Another was scratched with an injury the day before the 2012 Belmont and California Chrome finished in a dead heat for fourth in 2014.
