Well, you have to hand it to Belmont marketing department. With Barbaro in a veterninary hospital and Bernardini in a paddock, they've had to pull out some 'left field' alternatives to promote the third leg of the Triple Crown. Joe Drape's article in yesterday's New York Times "What's the Attraction? It's Still Barbaro" says that giant card signing and World Cup Soccer will be among two of the crowd tempters:

"One of the race's major attractions will be the 62-foot-wide and 7-foot-high "Get Well Soon" card, which will feature four life-size images of Barbaro. Fans will be able to sign the card beginning at 10 a.m. after Barbaro's jockey, Edgar Prado, does so.

ABC/ESPN Sports, which is kicking off a seven-year contract to broadcast the Belmont, will deal with Barbaro's absence early and often on its networks. ABC/ESPN hopes that his absence will be offset by what it calls a marquee day of sports broadcasting."

At this point I could say 'Only in America' but at the risk of offending my North American friends I will (sensibly perhaps) say nothing !

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Something else to note about this year's Belmont - exactly 87 years ago this Sunday (June 11, 1919) Sir Barton won the Belmont Stakes, becoming horse racing's first Triple Crown winner.