Belmont looks like the Derby all over again

• Reprints

Updated: September 24, 2011 12:23AM

NEW YORK — Even without a Triple Crown on the line, the 143rd Belmont Stakes might indeed be the ‘‘Test of the Champion.’’

The final leg of the Triple Crown features not only the rubber match between Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford today, but the top seven finishers from the Derby for the first time.

After watching Animal Kingdom gallop around the 11/2-mile main track at Belmont Park on Friday morning, trainer Graham Motion declared his colt in ‘‘great form’’ and up to the challenge of taking on a slew of rivals for the third time in five weeks.

‘‘To have seven horses come back from the Derby, and to have the winner of the Preakness and Derby, what more can you want?’’ Motion said. ‘‘Everyone wants to see a Triple Crown winner, but ultimately this is the test of champions, and I think this really is going to be that test.’’

Animal Kingdom is the 2-1 favorite in a field of 12 3-year-olds as he attempts to become the 12th horse to complete a Derby-Belmont double. The last was Thunder Gulch in 1995.

Derby runner-up Nehro is the second choice at 4-1, with Shackleford next at 9-2 as he tries to become the 19th horse to take the Preakness and Belmont.

The matchup of a Derby winner against a Preakness winner in the Belmont doesn’t occur often. This will be the 22nd time it’s happened and first since 2005. Preakness winners have won 10 times, Derby winners five.

Mucho Macho Man joins Animal Kingdom and Shackleford as the only horses to run in all three Triple Crown races this year.

Short of a Triple Crown bid, “this is going to be one of the most exciting Belmonts I can remember,” Shackleford’s trainer, Dale Romans, said.

A crowd of 60,000 is expected — far less than the record 120,139 that showed up for Smarty Jones’ Triple Crown try in 2004.

AP