Horsemen Take Over Fifth Avenue

By Christie DeBernardis
    High above the hustle and bustle of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, the whose who of the Triple Crown trail and several members of the press gathered for the annual Belmont Media Luncheon overlooking Rockefeller Center yesterday. 
New York Racing Association CEO and President Chris Kay got things started by describing the changes made to Belmont Stakes day, which include a 13-race card with 10 stakes, six of which are Grade I, and purses totaling $8-million. He also thanked the connections of Triple Crown hopeful California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) for showing people that dreams really do come true. 
NYRA analyst Andy Serling took over as emcee and called up West Point Thoroughbreds’ COO Tom Bellhouse to discuss the group’s GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Commanding Curve (Master Command). Bellhouse said the bay was following the plan West Point founder Terry Finley and trainer Dallas Stewart laid out in November of last year and they are confident he will relish Belmont’s 1 1/2 mile distance. 
Next up to the podium was the affable Bronco Billy Gowan, trainer of GI Preakness S. runner-up Ride On Curlin (Curlin). Dressed in his trademark Wranglers and cowboy boots, Gowan got plenty of laughs from the crowd when Serling asked how big his stable was and he replied, “Well, I am up to four now!” 
Serling then posed the same question he had asked Bellhouse about how it felt being in a position to spoil a Triple Crown attempt. 
“I’ve been trying to spoil him for the last two races,” Gowan said with a chuckle, which brought another roar of laughter from the crowd. “But if we can’t do it, I sure am pulling for my man Art [Sherman] over there.” 
Leonard Riggio, owner and breeder of GIII Withers S. and GIII Gotham S. hero Samraat (Noble Causeway), ascended to the stage to discuss his New York-bred star. He said the Kentucky Derby fifth-place finisher would indeed be running for his sire, who also raced under Riggio’s My Meadowview Farm colors, and passed away just last week. 
The humble Christophe Clement kept it short and sweet when asked about his impressive GII Peter Pan S. victor Tonalist (Tapit). 
“I think the whole deal for me is to bring him in feeling as good as possible, as fit as possible and after that [Joel] Rosario will worry about it,” the conditioner said in his heavy French accent. 
Centennial Farms’s Don Little, owner of GI Twinspires.com Wood Memorial winner Wicked Strong (Hard Spun), and jockey Rajiv Maragh were next on the microphone. 
Maragh was very impressed with the bay’s most recent work Sunday–a bullet five panels in :59.10–and is confident in his mount’s ability to handle this distance. 
Little said a win on Saturday would be very emotional for him, as it would be Centennial’s first Classic since losing his father, the founder and original president of Centennial Farms, two years ago. The pair celebrated their first Belmont win when Colonial Affair (Pleasant Colony) won with Julie Krone aboard in 2003, making her the first female jockey to capture a leg of the Triple Crown. 
Last, but certainly not least, were the connections of California Chrome, which included part owner Steve Coburn, trainers Art and Alan Sherman and jockey Victor Espinoza. Donning his cowboy hat, the charismatic Coburn got things rolling.cont. p5 
“I am just happy to be here,” he said. “We did it the 
old fashioned way. We earned it.” 
Serling asked how Coburn was enjoying the city and if he would stick around to celebrate for a few days after the race was over. 
“I have to be back at work Tuesday, so we are heading out Monday,” Coburn replied with a chuckle. “I have to be at work at 6:00 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. rolls around pretty early.” 
Sherman, who is actually a native New Yorker, gave a non-committal shrug of his shoulders when asked if California Chrome would head to Saratoga this summer. 
“Well, I don’t know,” Sherman said. “Del Mar might get mad at me. I am a resident of San Diego now, so I am getting a lot of pressure from that end, too.” 
The connections of the Belmont S. contenders will gather with the media again tomorrow at the track for the post position draw at 11:00 a.m.