Am I the only one that hears the theme from the hit T.V. game show “Jeopardy” playing constantly in my head when I think about the 141st running of the Belmont Stakes to be held at beautiful Belmont Park on June 6?

I can’t imagine that I am and we all of Jess Jackson, owner of superfilly/Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra to thank. Will you please just make up your mind already!?!?!?

After saying that a Memorial Day workout at Churchill Downs would determine whether or not Rachel Alexandra would attempt “the Test of a Champion,” a slow half mile in :50 1/5 over a sloppy track didn’t clear the picture up one bit. But Jackson wasn’t the only one who let an alleged self-imposed deadline pass last Monday.

The connections of Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird said that Memorial Day would be the day that jockey Calvin Borel, the only rider to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown on different horses in the same year, would have to choose between the Derby and Preakness winners. Of course, when no decision was made on the filly, the Mine That Bird people backed off and are now going to allow Borel to wait until the Rachel Alexandra decision is made. In hindsight, I guess there are many culprits when it comes to the uncertainty heading into the Belmont.

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I have to say something that I know is on the minds of many but on the tongues of few – we’re talking about Calvin Borel here. Not Garrett Gomez, Edgar Prado or John Velazquez, but Calvin Borel. Maybe I missed something in the past 20 years, but since when did Calvin Borel become the hottest jockey in the world?

While Jackson has said that Robby Albarado would ride Rachel Alexandra for trainer Steve Asmussen should Borel opt for Mine That Bird, the connections of the Derby winner are willing to hold out for Borel until the last possible second, like he’s a personal Jesus to them and the gelding. Borel’s claim to fame is that he loves riding the rail and that he guided Street Sense to a 2007 Derby winner with a ride all to similar to the one he gave Mine That Bird this year, in essence making him, at least in my eyes, a one trick pony. There are people actually talking about the Hall of Fame now for Borel. For a guy that never did any real winning outside nondescript and depleted Midwestern jockey colonies, it’s all a bit much. But yet, they wait and hope that he’ll ride their horse in the Belmont.

If Mine That Bird was my horse, or I was his trainer Chip Woolley, Borel would have never seen his back again. I don’t care if he had a call on the second coming of Hindoo, he took off the Derby winner, my Derby winner and that would be unforgivable, like a friend of twenty years not inviting you to their wedding. Yet they are willing to wait.

Thankfully, other trainers and riders didn’t allow themselves to get caught up in all that hoopla. Todd Pletcher for one, trainer of Dunkirk, went out and secured the services of his main man John Velazquez for the Belmont. Coming off a tenth place finish in the Derby, Dunkirk has trained well since and should be able to work out a much better trip than the one he had in Kentucky.

Another trainer who will have his go-to guy in the saddle for the Belmont is Kiaran McLaughlin who will give Alan Garcia a leg up aboard Peter Pan winner Charitable Man. After finishing off the board in the Blue Grass in his seasonal bow, Charitable Man rebounded nicely to win the Peter Pan a few weeks back and may actually be the controlling speed of the Belmont, especially if Rachel Alexandra is a no-show.

Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito will each run a pair of colts in this years Belmont. Lukas, who’ll be looking for his fifth Belmont win which would get him even with the legendary Woody Stephens in that category, is sending out Flying Private and Luv Gov, both of whom ran in the Preakness. Flying Private closed nicely to be fourth in the Preakness after a last place Derby finish while Luv Gov was eighth. Julie Leparoux will be aboard Flying Private, replacing Garcia while Luv Gov will be reunited with Miguel Mena who was aboard for Luv Gov’s lone career victory on Derby Day.

Zito’s duo is coming into the Belmont a bit fresher and Zito has had tremendous Belmont success in his own right with a pair of victories under his belt. Federico Tesio winner Miner’s Escape will have the red-hot Jose Lezcano in the irons while Brave Victory, third in the Peter Pan after trailing early on in the event will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh.

Chocolate Candy is hoping the 1 ½ miles of the Belmont will be the great equalizer that it has been in many past runnings. Chocolate Candy ran well to be fifth in the Derby, his conventional dirt debut and should relish the added distance of the Belmont and if the weather cooperates, it will be his first run over a dry dirt track. Garrett Gomez replaces Mike Smith in the saddle for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Summer Bird, the other “Bird” in this years Derby where he finished sixth, will get a big rider change to Kent Desormeaux for trainer Tim Ice. Mr. Hot Stuff, a full brother to 2008 Travers winner Colonel John, didn’t fare as well, finishing 15th in the Derby, but is another who should love the distance. Edgar Prado, who scored Belmont upsets aboard Sarava in 2002 and Birdstone in 2004, will ride Mr. Hot Stuff for trainer Eoin Harty.