Belmont Top Ten (minus one)

This is the Left at the Gate list of who will be making news on and around Belmont Stakes day this Saturday.

1) Afleet Alex continues his unorthodox training regimen, adding some gymnastics after his agile display in the Preakness. Tim Ritchey announces that after the Belmont he’ll train Alex up to the New York Marathon. I’m going to look to beat him here, but he certainly merits being the strong favorite that he will be.

2) Reverberate played second fiddle to some top Derby contenders in the spring, but since the addition of blinkers he’s done nothing but improve, culminating with his second to Oratory in the Peter Pan and a 106 Beyer. He could be a real contender in the Belmont, and if he is, can you imagine how good Oratory could be?

3) Eddie Castro - Unwilling to rest on his laurels after his nine win day, Castro outdoes himself by riding 11 winners in a 10 race card at Calder, battling himself to a dead heat in the 8th. He then drives a winner at the Pompano Park harness track, sweeps the late double at Dania Jai-Alai, and wins an argument with a buddy over the last double fudge Oreo cookie.

4) Southern Africa - Another one who’s improved with the addition of blinkers - he’s a length away from having won three stakes in a row.

5) Andromeda’s Hero has become famous for the way he gallops out after the race is over, so Bejarano takes off and races him around the track just before the start in an attempt to fool him. The ploy fails as he mounts his usual too late rally, but he gallops out so well that he flies by the Belmont winner and catches the winner of the previous race.

6) Pinpoint - Yet another one who has really improved in his last three with blinkers, but he’ll have to improve much more than either of the other two.

7) Giacomo - I’m just not into him right now. I see him flattening out in the stretch and I think he’s an excellent candidate to leave out of exotics to try and make some money.

8) NYRA - The explanation on NYRA’s website for prohibiting fans from bringing alcohol on Belmont Stakes day is this: “The restriction regarding alcohol has been enacted in the interest of patron safety and in an attempt to make sure that people drink responsibly.” In addition, NYRA announces that to make sure that people gamble responsibly, patrons will be limited to $100 in losses for the day, and no more than $10 per race.

9) Chekhov - Do you spell the character from Star Trek Chekov or Chekhov?