Garden Party for Horse Racing

It was a good day for horse racing -- for a change. The New York Racing Association put together a luncheon/news conference at Madison Square Garden today, promoting the not-so-on-the-radar Belmont Stakes on Saturday. Of course, Calvin ``we're gonna win'' Borel was the center of attention. Everywhere he walked at the Garden's Bar & Grill, microphones, notepads, TV cameras, bloggers and tweeters followed. All he did was say what he said yesterday: He will win the Belmont aboard Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to become the first jockey to capture the Triple Crown on different horses. He rode Rachel Alexandra to victory over Mine That Bird in the Preakness. He says he's in a dream and riding it out, and that he wants to win this one for Chip -- the Bird's trainer Chip Woolley, who stuck with him even after he took over the gelding for the filly. Lots of other racing types were there as well - the Bird's New Mexico owner-trainer trio of Mark Allen, Leonard Blach and Woolley; trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and jockey Alan Garcia _ Kiaran sends out Charitable Man and Garcia rides him looking for his second Belmont win in a row. McLaughlin was pretty funny, say there's no need to run the race since Calvin guaranteed a victory, but then added this about his horse: His father was a Belmont winner (Lemon Drop Kid), he's 2-for-2 at Belmont, 3-for-3 on dirt and need I say more? Johnny V, who will ride Dunkirk, told the riders in attendance not to let Calvin on the rail ... Borel added that he's glad Rachel Alexandra is not running because, he said, she needs a rest.

And to kick off the festivities, NYRA CEO Charley Hayward made his opening remarks short and to the point regarding synthetic surfaces: He said the races Saturday will be on the turf and on the dirt and they are going to stay that way. Why he decided to throw out that line at this newser is questionable, but it's a clear statement that synthetics are not in NYRA's future (applause, please).