Belmont marks end of entertaining Triple Crown

War of Will is racing for the third time in five weeks. He is the only colt to compete in all three of the Triple Crown races this year.

“I have less concern about that now than if you had asked me that question two or three days after the Preakness,” Casse said. “I would have said that is a huge concern. We know that horse pretty well and we think he is ready.”

There are other interesting stories that could emerge Saturday.

The third choice in the race is Master Fencer at 8-1. The colt is looking to become the first horse bred, based or owned by Japanese connections to win the Belmont.

Roman’s Everfast, who finished second in the Preakness at 29-1, will be looking for only his second win in 12 career starts.

There are other stories, and there will probably be more “What ifs?” knowing how this Triple Crown has gone.

NBC horse racing analyst Randy Moss said he has heard as much talk about the Derby after this year as in any of the 39 Kentucky Derbies he has covered.

“People who know nothing about horse racing were saying: ‘What do you think about this call?’ Was it legitimate? Was it a bad call? Was it a good call?” Moss said.

Moss got a text message from a colleague at the NFL Network after the Preakness.

“If the (riderless) horse had finished first, would he have won the race?” Moss said.

The answer is no. “Sometimes when these weird things happen, it can actually stimulate interest from the public in the sport,” Moss said.

Notes: John Velazquez is on the verge of setting a record for rides in the Belmont. The all-time leading jockey in North America with more than $400 million in purse earnings is scheduled for his 23rd Belmont ride Saturday aboard Intrepid Heart. He is currently tied at 22 with fellow Hall of Famer Eddie Arcaro. … The most compelling race on the Belmont Stakes card might be the $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap. The 1-mile race features Thunder Snow, the two-time winner of the Dubai World Cup, and McKinzie, fresh from a win in the Alysheba Stakes last month at Churchill Downs for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.