Not much buzz for Belmont Stakes without Bernardini, Barbaro
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 1 1/2-mile Belmont. Returning after skipping the Preakness are Bluegrass Cat, Steppenwolfer and Jazil, the 2-3-4 finishers in the Derby.
Other Derby runners coming back for the Belmont include Deputy Glitters (eighth), Bob and John (17th) and possibly Point Determined (ninth).
Hemingway's Key (third in the Preakness) and Peter Pan winner Sunriver also are set, with Sir Barton winner High Cotton and Oh So Awesome under consideration.
Todd Pletcher, looking for his first win in a Triple Crown race, trains Bluegrass Cat, Sunriver and High Cotton. He says the public may not be pumped, but the trainers are.
"No doubt, when you have a Triple Crown prospect it's exciting," Pletcher said. "But that doesn't mean I want to win the Belmont any less than if Barbaro was here going for the Triple Crown. It's up there on the list of races we'd like to win. For us, it would be exciting."
In six of the past nine years, fans flocked to Belmont in record numbers, hoping to witness history - the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978. But each time, the Derby-Preakness winner fell short.
Silver Charm lost by three-quarters of a length in 1997; Real Quiet by a nose the next year, and Charismatic finished third in 1999 after injuring his leg in the stretch. Then it was War Emblem stumbling at the start of the 2002 Belmont, Funny Cide never taking to a wet track the following year and Smarty Jones being caught in the final strides two years ago, a result that left a record crowd of 120,139 in stunned disbelief.
Source: www.canada.com
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 1 1/2-mile Belmont. Returning after skipping the Preakness are Bluegrass Cat, Steppenwolfer and Jazil, the 2-3-4 finishers in the Derby.
Other Derby runners coming back for the Belmont include Deputy Glitters (eighth), Bob and John (17th) and possibly Point Determined (ninth).
Hemingway's Key (third in the Preakness) and Peter Pan winner Sunriver also are set, with Sir Barton winner High Cotton and Oh So Awesome under consideration.
Todd Pletcher, looking for his first win in a Triple Crown race, trains Bluegrass Cat, Sunriver and High Cotton. He says the public may not be pumped, but the trainers are.
"No doubt, when you have a Triple Crown prospect it's exciting," Pletcher said. "But that doesn't mean I want to win the Belmont any less than if Barbaro was here going for the Triple Crown. It's up there on the list of races we'd like to win. For us, it would be exciting."
In six of the past nine years, fans flocked to Belmont in record numbers, hoping to witness history - the first Triple Crown champion since Affirmed in 1978. But each time, the Derby-Preakness winner fell short.
Silver Charm lost by three-quarters of a length in 1997; Real Quiet by a nose the next year, and Charismatic finished third in 1999 after injuring his leg in the stretch. Then it was War Emblem stumbling at the start of the 2002 Belmont, Funny Cide never taking to a wet track the following year and Smarty Jones being caught in the final strides two years ago, a result that left a record crowd of 120,139 in stunned disbelief.
Source: www.canada.com
posted by Jacobo | 8:18 AM
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