ELMONT, New York: American Pharoah’s bid to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to land the Triple Crown received a boost on Monday as two opponents withdrew from the final leg Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.

Carpe Diem and The Truth Or Else both pulled out with fitness problems from the 147th edition of the “Test of the Champion” for 3-year-olds, leaving just eight still standing.

Carpe Diem, who is owned by WinStar Farm, finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby and won the Blue Grass Stakes.

“We have decided not to run Carpe Diem in the Belmont. Too good a horse to run at 90 percent,” WinStar’s spokesman Elliott Walden said.

The Truth Or Else is trained and co-owned by Ken McPeek. The colt was to have been ridden by jockey Edgar Prado.

“The Truth Or Else is not being entered into Belmont. Filling in ankle. Minor but everything happens for a reason,” McPeek tweeted.

The Bob Baffert-trained American Pharoah ridden by Victor Espinoza won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in impressive style to leave him on the brink of an achievement that has proved elusive since Affirmed’s glory days.

Pharoah is the 14th horse since Affirmed to win the first two legs of the coveted treble.

Baffert has saddled four of those horses — including Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998 and War Emblem in 2002.

Meantime, American Pharoah shook off morning showers at Churchill Downs in his final workout before the Belmont Stakes and his shot at the Triple Crown.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Monday that “everything went really well” after his colt ran five furlongs in 1:00.20. Jockey Martin Garcia took full advantage of a fast track barely affected by the steady drizzle. The colt looked just as fresh during his bath afterward.

American Pharoah can become the first horse since 1978 to capture the Triple Crown.

The horse leaves Churchill Downs on Tuesday for New York. The 1 1/2-mile Belmont on Saturday is the longest of the Triple Crown races.