Strong entries boost Zito's chances

NEW YORK - No one is in more of a New York state of mind these days than Brooklyn-born Nick Zito.

And why not?

The Hall-of-Fame trainer will be looking for his third win in six years in the $1 million, 11/2-mile Belmont Stakes on Saturday, and he has two of the three favorites for the final leg of the Triple Crown.

Ice Box, the Florida Derby winner who staged a tremendous rally to finish second in the Kentucky Derby, is the 3-1 morning-line choice. Fly Down, a lightly raced colt who blew away the field by six lengths in winning the Dwyer last month, is the 9-2 third choice.

First Dude poses a huge threat as the 7-2 second choice. The colt trained by Dale Romans is coming off a gallant runner-up effort in the Preakness. "The Belmont will be his race because he wants to go a mile and a half," Romans said, "and he'll love the track."

The forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-80s and a 50 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms.

The New York Racing Association is hoping for a crowd approaching last year's 52,000, which showed up for Summer Bird's win without a Triple Crown on the line.

But Sinatra's "New York, New York" is out as the song that accompanies the horses onto the track before the race. It's being replaced by Alicia Keys' version of Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind."

The Field

Belmont Park, Race 11, post time: 6:32 p.m. TV: 6ABC, 5 p.m.

Post Horse             Jockey      Odds   1. Dave in Dixie          Borel      20-1

2. Spangled Star. . .          Gomez      30-1

3. Uptowncharlybrown      Maragh      10-1

4. Make Music for Me      Rosario      10-1

5. Fly Down            Velazquez   9-2

6. Ice Box             Lezcano      3-1

7. Drosselmeyer         Smith      12-1

8. Game On Dude. . .          M. Garcia      10-1

9. Stately Victor. . .          A. Garcia      15-1

10. Stay Put            Theriot      20-1

11. First Dude            Dominguez   7-2

12. Interactif            Castellano   12-1