Sherack at the Belmont Stakes: Wet Weather Scares Few Away Thursday

   Heavy overnight rain left the Belmont Park main track a muddy mess Thursday morning, but it was still pretty much business as usual as the potentially historic day in Elmont rapidly approaches. 
   Tonalist (Tapit) went through his normal routine and got the action rolling once again for the GI Belmont S. runners with another visually impressive gallop while hugging the “dogs” nicely shortly after 6 a.m. 
   The large contingent of photographers lined up by the horse path by the gap as California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) began to make his way over as a light mist continued to fall shortly before 6:30 a.m. 
   Commanding Curve (Master Command) galloped by the clubhouse turn just as the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. hero stepped foot on the track while an ominous dark cloud cover hovered above. 
Sporting a blue Skechers jacket (the sneaker company recently inked a deal to sponsor the dual Classic winner ahead of his date with destiny), exercise rider Willie Delgado sent the big horse on his way to begin his clockwise jog along the outer rail to another packed house despite the messy conditions. 
   Sporting four white wraps, California Chrome’s gate schooling session went off without a hitch, then he made his way around the oval once for a relatively easy gallop. And just like that, the large contingent of media and photographers vanished. 
   Social Inclusion (Pioneerof the Nile), the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the GII Woody Stephens S., powered by at 6:55 a.m. under the watchful eye of trainer Manny Azpurua. The skies finally opened up and showed no signs of slowing down as the GI Ogden Phipps S. 7-5 morning-line favorite Beholder (Henny Hughes) began her day with some light exercise. 
   Ride On Curlin (Curlin) made his way through the tunnel after taking a trip through the paddock at 7:13 a.m. Trainer Billy Gowan and family–as well as owner Daniel Dougherty–immediately headed to the first floor to take cover in the box seats near the winner’s circle while it continued to pour. The Preakness runner-up couldn’t wait to ditch the pony and get down to business, but was once again very hard-held throughout his strong gallop. You really have to tip your hat to Gowan and his crew. Ride On Curlin has really seemed to thrive and move forward with each Triple Crown race this spring. 
   With a beautiful mural of Easy Goer and Sunday’s Silence’s epic 1989 Triple Crown series to his back, assistant trainer Alan Sherman briefly spoke about all things California Chrome during his indoor press conference in the clubhouse at 8 a.m. 
   “He’s doing his thing,” said the younger Sherman, who became a first-time grandfather Wednesday. “He loves to train and he loves what he does. He makes our job easy.” 
   How has California Chrome adjusted to the mighty 1 1/2-mile oval thus far? 
   “The horse acclimated better than I did,” Sherman admitted. “It was a little intimidating at first, but I’m getting used to it now. He’s got his lead changes down. He’s doing really good on this track.” 
   WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden issued an upbeat bulletin on Commissioner (A.P. Indy) via Twitter after watching the GII Peter Pan S. runner-up in action on the nearby training track. 
   “Commish back in his stall after routine gallop,” Walden tweeted. “Excited for Sat. #undertheradar.” 
Kenny Troutt’s operation is certainly no stranger to pulling off an upset in the Belmont S. after Drosselmeyer (Distorted Humor)’s 13-1 shocker four years ago. The well-bred Commissioner is listed at 20-1 on the morning line. 
   With heavy rain still falling, New York-bred Samraat (Noble Causeway) made his first local appearance after shipping in from Rick Violette’s crosstown Aqueduct base Wednesday. Violette, seated next to jockey Jose Ortiz, watched through the binocs as the Derby fifth-place finisher jogged two laps while accompanied by a stable pony following the renovation break. 
   With the expected late Thursday afternoon arrival of General A Rod (Roman Ruler) and Medal Count (Dynaformer) from Kentucky, it promises to be a very busy Belmont S. eve.