I’m sorry if the title fooled you, but understand before you read another word that we’ll talk more about last Saturdays 134th running of the Preakness in this space than we will the 141st Belmont Stakes to be run in a couple of weeks on June 6.

Simply, there isn’t much to talk about in regards to the Belmont. Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird is in but Preakness heroine Rachel Alexandra is not and won’t be committed to run until Memorial Day at the earliest. If she comes back for a rematch, they’ll be enough to write a book about the race.

Belmont Breakdown

Rank Horse Trainer Last Race 1 Mine That Bird Chip Woolley Jr. 2nd, Preakness 2 Charitable Man Kiaran McLaughlin 1st, Peter Pan 3 Dunkirk Todd Pletcher 10th, Kentucky Derby 4 Chocolate Candy Jerry Hollendorfer 5th, Kentucky Derby 5 Flying Private D. Wayne Lukas 4th, Preakness 6 Miner's Escape Nick Zito 1st, Federico Tesio 7 Brave Victory Nick Zito 3rd, Peter Pan 8 Summer Bird Tim Ice 6th. Kentucky Derby 9 Mr. Hot Stuff Eoin Harty 15th, Kentucky Derby 10 Rachel Alexandra Steve Asmussen 1st, Preakness 11 Luv Gov D. Wayne Lukas 8th, Preakness

Peter Pan winner Charitable Man, who’s won all three of his starts over conventional dirt, will run for trainer as will the D. Wayne Lukas trained Flying Private who finished up well to be fourth in the Preakness after finishing last in the Derby. He also has the distinction, as of now, of being the only horse along with Mine That Bird who’ll run in all three Triple Crown events this year.

Derby also-rans Chocolate Candy, Dunkirk, Mr. Hot Stuff, and Summer Bird are all pointing towards the Belmont while Miner’s Escape and Luv Gov are also possible.

As for Rachel Alexandra and her Preakness win, in a word, it was unforgettable. Fillies just aren’t supposed to run back in two weeks, period. But to do it against the top three-year-olds in the land makes it all the more remarkable.

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On paper, especially after drawing the outside post 13, it appeared as if jockey Calvin Borel had no choice but to send her to the lead. I believe he was helped immensely by the fact that trainer David Fawkes took the blinkers off the speedy Big Drama, but that’s a story for another day. I know he still showed speed but not like he has in the past which made Borel’s job all the more easier.

Speaking of Borel, how smart does he look now? He takes off the Derby winner to ride a filly in the Preakness, and then wins it. And, like in the Derby, is receiving just as many accolades as his equine tag team partner. While at first glance his move seems to make perfect sense, as the filly appears to be virtually unbeatable if she stays at the level she’s at now, let’s not forget that Mine That Bird is a gelding and could go on racing for years. Fellow Derby winning gelding Funny Cide went on to race for four years after his 2003 Derby score and it’s hard to imagine the filly racing beyond next season at best.

I must be honest though. I am getting a little sick of hearing so much about the human parties involved. From Rachel Alexandra’s new owner Jess Jackson, who had the audacity to schedule a press conference regarding the filly as the Preakness draw was going on to Mine That Birds connections trying to keep her out of the Preakness and now attempting to goad Jackson into running her in the Belmont, I’ve really had enough.

In Jackson’s defense, I don’t understand some of the media backlash he’s received from running his superfilly in the Preakness. While many felt that running her back in 15 days against colts wasn’t in her best interest and have tried to use her hard fought win as point to prove their claims, we really won’t know how much harm it did or didn’t do until she returns to the track, and even that may be too soon. She ran hard and fast, no question, but isn’t that what truly great horses do?

I also would prefer not to hear about how Mine That Bird would have won the Preakness if Borel rode him and how he cost him a chance at the Triple Crown by not only not riding him but beating him.

Does everyone think the wall of horses Mike Smith found himself behind aboard Mine That Bird wouldn’t have been there or would have disappeared had Borel rode him? If you think about it, the inside would have probably been even more cluttered if Borel was aboard because it would have been expected of him to ride the rail.

As for the rest of the Preakness bunch, Musket Man has finally earned my respect with a gutsy third place showing. I said going into the race that I wasn’t a big fan of the horses that ran hard throughout the Derby, like Musket man did, but he proved me wrong and now owns five wins and three third place finishes in eight career starts. It’s hard to knock that kind of consistently.

Pioneerof the Nile had to be the biggest disappointment as he failed to fire though Friesan Fire and General Quarters are right there in the under-achievers photo finish. Papa Clem could be thrown in there as well.

We’ll talk more about “the Test of the Champion” next week. See you then.