Belmont lacking buzz without Barbaro

The Belmont Stakes will be run June 10, the 11th of 13 races at Belmont Park that day. Post time, 6:35 p.m.
The way the field for the final leg of the Triple Crown is shaping up, many more reminders may be necessary to keep sports fans interested: This Belmont will be different, for sure.
For just the third time in 36 years, neither the Kentucky Derby winner nor the Preakness winner will be in the race.
Derby winner Barbaro is convalescing in a hospital in Chester County, Pa., after shattering three bones in his leg at the start of the Preakness. Bernardini, who won the Preakness, will remain in his stall on Belmont day — his owner, Dubai’s Sheik Mohammed, decided to give the colt a breather.
Only a handful of Derby runners will be back for the Belmont after skipping the Preakness, while Sweetnorthernsaint would be the only horse to run in all three Triple Crown races — but he’s no cinch to show up.
The unlikely set of circumstances adds up to a Belmont without buzz: No Triple Crown on the line; no rubber match between the Derby and Preakness winners, no crowds of 100,000-plus.
So how will track announcer Tom Durkin gear up to call the race?
“There’s no question the Belmont doesn’t have the cache had Barbaro or Bernardini been there, but it stands on its own as an important race,” Durkin said. “But the words I use to describe it will not be as big and will not have a historical ring to them. The list of superlatives I can use will be shortened.”
It’s still early, but a field of 10 appears likely for the 1½-mile Belmont. Returning after skipping the Preakness are Bluegrass Cat, Steppenwolfer and Jazil, the 2-3-4 finishers in the Derby.
Source: msnbc.msn.com