On the day of the Belmont Stakes, Belmont Park has many traditions. The Belmont Breeze drink, the "New York, New York" playing as they enter the track, and the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes on the undercard are among them.

Except for 2020, the Manhattan has been held on the Belmont undercard since 1994, generally as the race immediately preceding the Belmont. The race attracts some of the country's best senior male grass horses yearly, and this year is no exception. Let's take a closer look at the Manhattan field for this year's event, which will be the 120th.

1. L'Imperator (15-1): Chad Brown has dominated this event in recent years. He's won it seven times in the last nine years, and he's entered four more this year to become the eighth Manhattan winner. L'Imperator won two allowance races last year, but it wasn't until the Fort Marcy Major last out that he won his first stakes race, a gate-to-wire victory over a wet course. He's pulled to the inside, allowing him to keep Eric Cancel in the saddle while protecting the pace. However, this race will have a lot more speed than the Fort Marcy, and it's unlikely he'll be able to set very soft fractions again.

4. Adhamo (4-1): This Irish-bred Group 3 winner was a fast-closing second in the Fair Grounds Stakes in his American debut, then finished third in the Old Forester Bourbon after a comprehensive journey. The call comes from Flavien Prat, one of the best grass riders in the country. When the field turns for home, this colt will aim to save more ground than last time and find clear sailing.

5. In Love (15-1): He was a winner in back-to-back stakes races against milers in Kentucky last year. He earned a ground-saving trip in his first start of the year in the Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland, but he had no punch.

It will be his third start since November 2019 at a distance of 14 kilometres. He has excellent late pace stats, but it's unclear how he'll handle the extra distance.

Alex Achard is the jockey, and Paulo Lobo is the trainer.6. Rockemperor (4-1): His lousy performance in the Fort Marcy previous out can be overlooked. As previously stated, the grass was unusually moist on that particular day, and it's possible that he couldn't manage it. Even if rain is expected on Saturday, the course is unlikely to be nearly as muddy as it was on May 7. He claimed the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic International by 15.60-1 last year, and he's had some good grass workouts on this course recently. The mount goes to Irad Ortiz Jr, one of the best jockeys in the country.

Irad Ortiz Jr. is the jockey, and Chad Brown is the trainer.

Flavien Prat is the jockey, while Chad Brown is the trainer.6. Rockemperor (4-1): His lousy performance in the Fort Marcy previous out can be overlooked. As previously stated, the grass was unusually moist on that particular day, and it's possible that he couldn't manage it. Even if rain is expected on Saturday, the course is unlikely to be nearly as muddy as it was on May 7. He claimed the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic International by 15.60-1 last year, and he's had some good grass workouts on this course recently. The mount goes to Irad Ortiz Jr, one of the best jockeys in the country.

Irad Ortiz Jr. is the jockey, and Chad Brown is the trainer.

7. Tribhuvan (8-1): The fourth and final Chad Brown entrant in the field, he won the United Nations Stakes last summer by going gate-to-wire, but he has failed to place in his previous three appearances. He's been beaten by a total of 27 34 lengths in his last two appearances. Last year at this time, he was significantly better, including a second-place finish in the Manhattan. He could be in here to keep Adhamo and Rockemperor on a more even keel while softening up some of the speed horses attracted to his outside.

Manny Franco is the jockey, and Chad Brown is the trainer.

8. Highland Chief: Last time out, he stunned the racing world by winning the Man o' War Stakes for 19.20-1. Trevor McCarthy, the jockey, won his first Grade 1 race due to his efforts. Highland Chief rated slightly off the pace in the Man o' War and maintained sway in the stretch after striking the front, in contrast to his first American outing, where he sat near the back and showed little. He made a significant improvement in that race and has a good chance of maintaining his lead, but you won't be able to obtain his Man o' War price again. Graham Motion has won this race three times, the most recent of which was in 2018 with Spring Quality.

Trevor McCarthy is the jockey, and Graham Motion is the trainer.

Santin (7-2): This rarely raced 4-year-old won his first race last time out, the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, in only his sixth career start. He's improved with each start and should be in the lead early. Tyler Gaffalione, the leading rider at Churchill Downs, primarily travels to Belmont for this horse.

Tyler Gaffalione is the jockey, and Brendan Walsh is the trainer.

10. Channel Maker (8-1): This 8-year-old gelding is on the verge of winning $4 million in his career. He won back-to-back Grade 1 races in 2020 when he returned from a winless 2021 season with a win in the Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in his first start. He has a lot of early speed and will be a force to be reckoned with. He'll have to contend with a slew of speed horses circling him on the inside. Two of Chad Brown's runners and Santin to his straight inside will most likely be near the pace. He won last time by holding off pace pressure, which was a notable change from his previous races, in which he needed to be left the only one on the front to have a chance. It's reassuring to hear.

Luis Saez is the jockey, and Bill Mott is the trainer.

THE SELECTION: Santin

LONGSHOT IN REAL TIME: Highland Chief

9-6-4-8 SUPERFECTA