Belmont Stakes Horse Race

What a perfect contrast in this soap opera of a Triple Crown season: The trainer hobbles up to the podium to talk about the horse who streaked to victory in the Kentucky Derby and is looking to add Saturday's Belmont Stakes to his record. Still on crutches after breaking his right leg in a motorcycle crash before the Derby, Chip Woolley said his little gelding is ready for one more big run in the Belmont.

Unless you were one of the few to place a bet on him, hardly anyone remembers that Da'Tara won the Belmont Stakes last year. All the focus was on Big Brown's bid for the Triple Crown, and when he completely flopped, Da'Tara's improbable wire-to-wire victory at 38-1 odds seemed like an afterthought. Trainer Nick Zito doesn't mind, however. In fact, he kind of likes keeping a low profile. He's certainly had success at the Belmont.

The Belmont Stakes has always had a cruel and sneaky sense of humor. The track nicknamed "Big Sandy" is so gorgeous and picturesque that it almost encourages its competitors to dream big, right before it punches them in the face, steals their wallet and breaks their heart. Few jockeys understand this better than Kent Desormeaux, a 39-year-old Hall of Famer who twice has had a Triple Crown snatched from his grasp on the 1 1/2 -mile New York track.

Jerry Hissam, Calvin Borel's close friend and longtime agent, was a little exasperated after the Preakness. Reporters were peppering him with questions about Borel, who had just won the second jewel of the 2009 Triple Crown, and he was trying to come up with a dignified way of saying what was on the tip of everyone's tongue: Isn't it about time the racing community figured out that Borel -- even at age 42 -- is one of the best jockeys in the sport?