Did a planet explode between Mars and Jupiter to create the asteroid belt?

It would seem more likely that they are remnants of our solar systems formation. Likely, due to the forces in control of that region of space, ie Jupiter and Saturn's gravitational influences and other mechanics of the system it-self's formation. Slightly different influences may have allowed these fragments to form a planet or perhaps would have hurled them all into space or into our gas giants. It is these giants that have swept much of hazardous space for us. Where it not for their mive gravity many more asteroids would threaten the earth. They are the vacuum cleaners of our solar system. We owe our very existence to them.