A look at what makes the Belmont Stakes such a tough race for Triple Crown contenders, and when and where exactly on the unique track 13 straight Triple Crown attempts have come unraveled. (3:01)

American Pharoah has come to New York to try to become the first horse in 37 years to win the Triple Crown.

The last time a horse won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, Jimmy Carter was president, a first-class stamp cost 13 cents and a 2-year-old golf prodigy named Tiger Woods appeared on television with Bob Hope. That was in 1978, and the last horse, the 11th in the sport's history, to sweep the famed Triple Crown series was Affirmed. Since then, 13 horses have won the first two races -- the Kentucky Derby and Preakness -- only to fail in the Belmont Stakes.

American Pharoah, racing Saturday in the Belmont Stakes, will attempt to become the first horse in 37 years to win the Triple Crown. AP Photo/Peter Morgan

First run in 1867, the Belmont Stakes is both the oldest and, at 1 1/2 miles, the longest of the Triple Crown races. Appropriately enough, it's known as the "Test of a Champion."

Racetrack: Belmont Park, Elmont, N.Y.

Post time: 6:50 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN (2:30-4:30 p.m. ET; 7-7:30 p.m. ET); NBC (4:30-7 p.m. ET).

Distance: 1 1/2 miles

Purse: $1.5 million

The Belmont Field (listed by post position with odds)

1. MUBTAAHIJ (10-1)

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

Trainer: Michael de Kock

Owner: Essafinaat

Need to know: Bred in Ireland, Mubtaahij raced primarily in Dubai before coming to the United States for the Kentucky Derby, his first race in this country.

Why he just might do it: Michael de Kock, one of the most successful trainers in the world, didn't travel all the way to New York to see "Finding Neverland." Although he finished eighth in Kentucky, Mubtaahij actually galloped out beyond the winner and should love the Belmont distance.

2. TALE OF VERVE (15-1)

Jockey: Gary Stevens

Trainer: Dallas Stewart

Owner: Charles Fipke

Need to know: Gary Stevens, the 52-year-old Hall of Famer who's riding Tale of Verve for the first time, has won three Belmonts.

Why he just might do it: Tale of Verve has improved dramatically this spring, winning for the first time in April and then rallying from last to finish second in the Preakness.

Editor's Picks Belmont Stakes Breakdown

3. MADEFROMLUCKY (12-1)

Jockey: Javier Castellano

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Cheyenne Stables and Mac Nichol

Need to know: Madefromlucky didn't race in the Kentucky Derby or Preakness. Fresh horses like Madefromlucky have won six of the last 15 Belmonts.

Why he just might do it: Madefromlucky is one of two horses in the field with racing experience at Belmont Park. He ran the best race of his career while winning the recent Peter Pan Stakes here.

4. FRAMMENTO (30-1)

Jockey: Mike Smith

Trainer: Nick Zito

Owner: Mossarosa

Need to know: Both his trainer and jockey are in the sport's Hall of Fame, and together they have won four Belmonts.

Why he just might do it: Nick Zito has won the Belmont with a 38-1 long shot, Da' Tara, and a 36-1 long shot, Birdstone. And the trainer has finished in the top three with half of his 24 Belmont starters.

Near Misses: Belmont Stakes Since 1978 Horse Year Field Size Finish Winner California Chrome 2014 11 4th (DH) Tonalist Big Brown 2008 9 DNF Da' Tara Smarty Jones 2004 9 2nd Birdstone Funny Cide 2003 6 3rd Empire Maker War Emblem 2002 11 8th Sarava Charismatic 1999 12 3rd Lemon Drop Kid Real Quiet 1998 11 2nd Victory Gallop Silver Charm 1997 7 2nd Touch Gold Sunday Silence 1989 10 2nd Easy Goer Alysheba 1987 9 4th Bet Twice Pleasant Colony 1981 11 3rd Summing Spectacular Bid 1979 8 3rd Coastal

5. AMERICAN PHAROAH (3-5)

Jockey: Victor Espinoza

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner: Zayat Stables

Need to know: Victor Espinoza will be the first jockey in history to come to the Belmont Stakes three times with a chance to win the Triple Crown, contending previously with War Emblem and California Chrome last year. Bob Baffert has been in this position three times, with Silver Charm, Real Quiet and War Emblem.

Why he'll do it: American Pharoah already has defeated all his Belmont rivals. He has abundant natural speed that should allow him to control the pace, and his willingness to relax when asked could help him succeed at 1 1/2 miles.

6. FROSTED (5-1)

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Owner: Godolphin racing

Need to know: Joel Rosario won the Belmont last year with Tonalist, and Kiaran McLaughlin in 2006 with Jazil.

Why he just might do it: Frosted finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby, despite racing even wider than the winner, and skipped the Preakness to focus on this race. Seven of the last 15 Belmont winners have followed that same plan.

7. KEEN ICE (20-1)

Jockey: Kent Desormeaux

Trainer: Dale Romans

Owner: Donegal Racing

Need to know: Having narrowly lost the Belmont Stakes and a Triple Crown sweep with Real Quiet in 1998 and then missing a sweep again with Big Brown in 2008, Kent Desormeaux won the 2009 Belmont with Summer Bird.

Why he just might do it: Despite experiencing some traffic trouble, Keen Ice closed strongly to finish seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He skipped the Preakness but looks like a horse who should appreciate the distance of the race and the size of the oval.

8. MATERIALITY (6-1)

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Alto Racing

Need to know: John Velazquez and Todd Pletcher teamed up to win the 2007 Belmont Stakes with Rags To Riches.

Why he just might do it: Materiality is another who ran in the Derby and skipped the Preakness. A big and powerful horse, he didn't handle the turns at Churchill Downs very well, but he should appreciate the Belmont Park oval.