NEW YORK - A record crowd is expected Saturday at Belmont Park when Smarty Jones goes for the Triple Crown.
"It's hard to project because we are heading into unchartered territory," said Bill Nader , New York Racing Association senior vice president.
"There is no question, the attendance and handle figures will fall. We will rewrite the record book.
"It will be the biggest day in the history of New York racing."
A record Belmont Stakes crowd of 103,222 turned out for War Emblem's failed Triple Crown bid in 2002.
Funny Cide also had the Triple Crown on the line last year and attracted 101,864 on a rainy afternoon.
With a partly cloudy day forecast for Saturday, how many people will show up for Smarty Jones?
"If they could open the infield here, which they can't, they would get 150,000," said Bobby Frankel, the winning trainer in last year's Belmont with Empire Maker.
LEARNING FAST: Rock Hard Ten has the least experience of any horse in the Belmont with only four starts.
He finished second to Smarty Jones in the Preakness, beaten by 111/2 lengths.
Trainer Jason Orman feels Rock Hard Ten learned a lot in that race.
"Smarty Jones is a great horse and we're going to have to run a really good race to beat him," Orman said. "I think Rock Hard Ten has really turned the corner since the Preakness. He got a lot out of that race."
TRACK RECORD: Stewart Elliott, Smarty Jones' jockey, is 1-for-13 at Belmont since 1991.
He last won here on Sept. 22, 1999 aboard Tickle Me Red in a claiming race.
