Earlier today the post positions for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes were drawn, and as luck would have it the favorite to win the race, Big Brown, has drawn the No. 1 post position. Since 1905, 23 horses have gone on to win the Belmont Stakes from the No. 1 position, more than any other post.

Taking nothing for granted, however, trainer Rick Dutrow is seeing to it that Big Brown gets his cracked hoof taken care of one last time prior to the race. Neither trainer nor hoof specialist (Ian McKinlay) is worried about the horse’s health come race day.

“The adhesive that we’ll rebuild that wall with is stronger than the hoof itself,” McKinlay told the Associated Press.

Japanese-bred Casino Drive will start from the No. 5 post. He is at 7/2 odds to win on the morning line. Here is the complete field for the 2008 Belmont Stakes, including post position, horse’s name, and odds to win:

1. Big Brown 2/5 odds
2. Guadalcanal 50/1 odds
3. Macho Again 20/1 odds
4. Denis of Cork 12/1 odds
5. Casino Drive 7/2 odds
6. Da’Tara 30/1 odds
7. Tale of Ekati 20/1 odds
8. Anak Nakal 30/1 odds
9. Ready’s Echo 30/1 odds
10. Icabad Crane 20/1 odds

Get your Belmont Stakes odds at the Bodog Racebook and bet on Big Brown to win the Triple Crown!

The horse racing world is holding its collective breath. Big Brown has a slight crack in his left front foot – nothing serious, but enough to raise tensions in a week that also saw Panty Raid retired due to injury and Nashoba’s Key (above photo) euthanized. One wrong step at the Belmont Stakes, and the sport’s profile may never recover.

In this supercharged environment, Big Brown is still the heavy favorite to win the Belmont and complete the Triple Crown. But he’s lost a little steam at 1-3 after opening at 2-9. Casino Drive has moved from 9-2 to 7-2 as the second favorite. The Japanese-trained horse won the Peter Pan Stakes earlier this month and may still have some value as a relative unknown.

Edgar Prado will be in the saddle for Casino Drive on June 7. Kent Desormeaux, who rode Casino Drive to victory at the Peter Pan, remains on Big Brown.

If Rick Dutrow Jr. is to be believed, a bet at 9-2 for Casino Drive to win the Belmont Stakes is a wasted bet.

“He’s got no chance,” Dutrow told reporters Wednesday. Strong words from the trainer of Big Brown, who is 2-9 to complete the first Triple Crown in 30 years. But there are some horseplayers who are willing to give the Kentucky-bred, Japanese-trained Casino Drive a spin, based on his pedigree and his blazing win by 5-3/4 lengths at the Peter Pan Stakes.

The pedigree’s the thing. Casino Drive is the son of Better Than Honour, the same mare who produced the last two Belmont winners: Jazil and Rags to Riches.

Big Brown’s jockey, Kent Desormeaux, also happened to ride Casino Drive to victory at the Peter Pan. He was a lot more complementary about Casino Drive’s Belmont chances than Dutrow.

“He’s a phenomenal talent. We’ve got our hands full with this one.”