NEW YORK - NBC-TV's broadcast of Funny Cide's attempt to win the Triple Crown in Saturday's Belmont Stakes was the highest-rated racing broadcast since the 1990 Kentucky Derby, according to figures released Sunday by NBC.
The 90-minute broadcast generated a 10.4 rating, up 13 percent compared to last year, when War Emblem was going for the Triple Crown. The rating for War Emblem's Belmont bid was up 88 percent compared with 2001, when no Triple Crown was on the line.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Frankie Joseph, 55, arrived at Belmont at 10 a.m. with a Racing Form and a case of Budweiser cans, which he was guarding from a spot just inside the grandstand doors. He said he has been coming to the Belmont Stakes for 20 years, and goes to the track regularly, at least four days a week, while putting in hours as a construction worker.
"I had to be here today," Joseph said. "I've seen every Triple Crown try in the last 20 years and I haven't seen one win one yet."
Joseph said he was rooting for Funny Cide.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Empire Maker trumped the Empire State.
With seemingly all of the crowd of 101,864 at Belmont Park, all of New York, and perhaps the entire country rooting for New York-bred Funny Cide to win the Triple Crown, Empire Maker spoiled the party and threw mud in their eye.
Triple Crown hopeful Funny Cide was a prohibitive favorite at 1-5 in early wagering for the Belmont Stakes on Friday afternoon.
Empire Maker, runner-up in the Derby, was the second choice, at 3-1, at 6:15 p.m. Eastern on Friday, more than 24 hours prior to the race. The Belmont Stakes is scheduled for 6:38 p.m. Eastern on Saturday at Belmont Park in New York.
Dynever was the third choice at 8-1, and Ten Most Wanted was the fourth choice at 13-1.
The field was filled out by Scrimshaw at 75-1 and Supervisor at 85-1.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Secretariat set track records in his Triple Crown races. Seattle Slew was the first, and only, winner of the Triple Crown while still undefeated. Affirmed beat an archrival who might have won the Triple Crown most any other year.
Since their reign in the 1970's, however, no one has been able to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The 25-year gap since Affirmed in 1978 equals the longest Triple Crown drought in history, between Citation in 1948 and Secretariat in 1973.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The Belmont Stakes is celebrated as "the test of the champion." It is the final leg of a grueling, three-race series. And it is an anachronism in American racing.
The Belmont is one of only two Grade 1 races on dirt at 1 1/2 miles. The trend in American racing has been toward speed and shorter races. The Jockey Club Gold Cup, for instance, was once a two-mile race. It was 1 1/2 miles through 1989. Then Easy Goer lost the Breeders' Cup Classic, and it was immediately slashed to 1 1/4 miles.
Jose Santos, 42, has been aboard Funny Cide for all eight of his races, which totals five victories, including the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Santos first worked Funny Cide last summer at Saratoga at the behest of his agent, Mike Sellitto, who asked trainer Barclay Tagg to let Santos work Funny Cide. Although Funny Cide was several weeks from a race, Sellitto knew Funny Cide had been training well, having been alerted by friends at the farm where Funny Cide received his early training.
"People will tell you about the great races between Citation and Noor out in California in the early 1950's, and the race between Ridan and Jaipur in the Travers at Saratoga in 1962. Great races. But Affirmed and Alydar in the Belmont? Probably the best horse race that's ever been run. I'll look at it again and again anytime I'm fortunate enough to get the chance. I'll raise a glass to 'em while I'm watchin' the replays and, damn, I'll root - come on Affirmed, come on Alydar. Come on Cauthen, come on Velasquez. Whatever it is that these two horses have can't be bought or manufactured.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Jerry Bailey readily admits he paid little attention to Funny Cide when he was aboard Empire Maker in the April 12 Wood Memorial.
Obviously, things have drastically changed in the last two months. And while the eyes of the racing world will be on Funny Cide in Saturday's 135th Belmont Stakes, no pair will be more focused on the chestnut gelding than those of Bailey, who once again will be aboard Empire Maker.
