Justify to take Crown

JUSTIFY will bid to become the

13th horse to go down in racing folklore by completing the US Triple Crown tonight.

It is regarded as one of the toughest tasks in American sport – winning three Grade One races at three different distances in three different states over a five-week period.

American Pharoah in 2015 was the first to achieve the treble of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes since Affirmed and Steve Cauthen in 1978.

Some of the other equine legends to complete the holy trinity of US classics in the same season include War Admiral, Seattle Slew and the mighty Secretariat.

Justify, who is hot favourite, will have to do it the hard way by coming out of the dreaded number one stall at Belmont Park.

His legendary handler, Bob Baffert, has expressed fears about the draw, but reports his horse to be in sparkling form.

His main rival is Hofberg

(9-2) who was seventh in the Kentucky Derby but missed the Preakness and will arrive a fresh horse.

Preakness runner-up Bravazo and Vino Rossi are both about the 8-1 mark.

Justify, who is unbeaten in all his five races, will set a record for the number of rivals defeated in a Triple Crown success if he wins the

$1.5million Belmont – the most difficult leg over a mile and a half.

Baffert, 65, is no stranger to Triple Crown heartbreak, coming close only to be thwarted in the final leg with Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998, in a photo finish) and War Emblem (2002).

He finally broke through with the superb American Pharoah three yers ago.

If he makes it two in four years with Justify, the Californian will become only the second trainer to saddle more than one Triple Crown winner after “Sunny” Jim Fitzsimmons, who trained Gallant Fox and Omaha between the wars.

New Mexico maestro Mike Smith, 52, will get the leg up on Justify and will be bidding to win the race for the third time following Palace Malice (2013) and Drosselmeyer (2010).