Pletcher plans to run Carpe Diem, Madefromlucky and Materiality against American Pharaoh, the Bob Baffert-trained colt who will bid to be the first 3YO since 1978 to complete Triple Crown after his wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

American Pharaoh will be a hot favourite but Pletcher’s trio will be given plenty of respect in the testing mile and a half classic as he boasts the impressive race record of two wins n and four seconds over the last decade.

Carpe Diem, the G1 Keeneland Blue Grass Stakes winner, sat out the Preakness Stakes after finishing 10th in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.

Materiality also bypassed the Preakness after he finished well to be sixth in the Derby behind American Pharaoh.

Madefromlucky ran fourth to American Pharoah in the G1 Arkansas Derby and then won the G2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont, the same race used by Tonalist as a prep for his 2014 Belmont Stakes victory.

"I can't make an excuse for Carpe Diem in the Derby, other than the fact he may not have relished the Churchill Downs surface," Pletcher said.

"We've seen horses over the years who didn't like it in the past.

"Materiality missed the break in the Derby but closed well after that. Both have trained well since.

“Madefromlucky has a win over the rack in the Peter Pan, which has been a good Belmont prep in years past, so that's encouraging. We think he'll handle the mile and a half."

Pletcher won his first Belmont Stakes with the filly Rags to Riches in 2007 and in 2013 he sent out Palace Malice for his second win in the classic.

His second placings were with Bluegrass Cat (2006), Dunkirk (2009), Stay Thirsty (2011) and Commissioner (2014).

Meanwhile American Pharoah completed his work at Churchill Downs with a fast breeze on Monday and will be transferred to New York by plane on Tuesday.

"He looks very healthy and he's happy,”Baffert reported.

Another Belmont Stakes contender, the Dale Romans-trained Keen Ice, will be on the same flight with American Pharaoh.

Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, who won the 2009 Belmont aboard Summer Bird and missed and missed completing an historic Triple Crown when Victory Gallop defeated his mount Real Quiet by a nose in 1998, wil ride Keen Ice.

Desormeaux, 44, likes his chances of an upset.

"You need a horse that can stay. If Keen Ice finishes like he finished in the Derby he has a chance, he'll be competitive,” Desormeuax said.

Keen Ice, a son of Curlin, closed from a distant 17th after a half mile to finish seventh in the Kentucky Derby.

Keen Ice has one win, two seconds, a third in the Risen Star Stakes and fourth in the Louisiana Derby from his eight starts.