BELMONT: No Triple Crown winner since ’78

mont, why risk injury by running him again to draw a few more big crowds?

“I don’t know if it’s going to resurrect the sport,” says Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, who will try to play spoiler a third time with 30-1 long shot Frammento. “But it will definitely help.”

Affirmed, who dueled with rival Alydar throughout his career, continued racing after winning the Triple Crown through his 4-year-old season and drew large crowds everywhere he showed up. Same with Seattle Slew, who ran through his 4-year-old season. Secretariat, who ended a 25year Triple drought in 1973, finished off his 3-year-old season before being retired. He was a magazine cover boy, and remains one of the most wellknown names in all of sports.

“I think racing is strong businesswise,” says Zito. “There are a lot of people buying horses. A lot of people are new in the game, a lot of rich people that like to compete in this game.

“Fan wise, I’m not too sure because of all the electronic stuff going on ... the only way you’re going to get them out is a big event. So if American Pharoah wins, I don’t think you’ll get that fan base again – not at the track. That’s the way it is.”

Hammond, an avid racing fan from Lexington, Ken., has been through so many failed Triples he understands the allure of the buildup. But he wants to see it happen.

“It would be better than just to keep waiting, keep waiting,” he said. “I know that that does have an attraction to it ... a Triple Crown winner is not going to solve all those problems, but I think it will show people, our casual fans, how exciting the sport can be, and maybe shine a spotlight on the horses themselves.” Maybe just temporarily. “I don’t know if it would help the game as much as people think,” Zito said. “I never thought I’d say that.”