NEW YORK Fans honor Funny Cide's jockey

Jose Santos, who expects a big crowd for the Belmont, was touched by the tribute.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Less than 24 hours after he won the Preakness aboard Funny Cide, jockey Jose Santos returned home to the strains of "New York, New York."
"Thank you," Santos said Sunday as he walked from the jocks room to the paddock as fans applauded and chanted "Triple Crown! Triple Crown!" and the Frank Sinatra classic blared over Belmont Park's public address system.
Even after the fourth race, in which he finished fourth aboard 16-1 long shot Monkey Junior, fans sought out Santos for handshakes and autographs. The tribute clearly moved Santos, who couldn't keep a smile off his face. He said he expects a huge, partisan crowd for the Belmont Stakes on June 7, when Funny Cide attempts to become the 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978.
Last year, a record crowd of 103,222 came to see if Derby-Preakness War Emblem could win the Triple Crown, but the colt stumbled at the start and finished eighth.
One question left
After Funny Cide's 93/4-length victory in the Preakness on Saturday in Baltimore, there's only one question in the world of horse racing: Can he pull it off?
Since Affirmed beat Alydar to complete the Derby, Preakness and Belmont sweep, eight horses took the first two races but fell short in the Belmont.
"A great story is unraveling, and I hope it ends with a Triple Crown," Affirmed's jockey, Steve Cauthen, said. "The horse seems to be in great form. Everything is jelling at the right time -- it's exactly how you want it."
The debate will continue until Belmont day. So far, there aren't many doubters.
"He ran two bang-up races now, and if he can run in the Belmont the way he ran in the Derby and Preakness, then he's got it," said trainer Bob Baffert, denied a Triple Crown three times by losses in the Belmont. "I'll be rooting for him."
Trainer's confidence
Even Funny Cide's trainer, Barclay Tagg, ever the pessimist, sounded somewhat confident.
"There's going to be some fresh faces in, and our horse will have gone through a pretty good campaign by then, so that's a concern," Tagg said. "As long as he handles everything like he did the last few weeks, I can't see any problem with it."
The Belmont will offer the toughest test of all. At 11/2 miles, it is the longest Triple Crown race, a distance not commonly run in the United States.
"I have no clue how he'll run a mile and a half, but I have a feeling he'll handle it rather easily," Tagg said. "So far he's proven he can do it, but adding another quarter-mile onto it, anything can happen."
Several well-rested 3-year-olds will present a new set of challenges. Among them are Derby runner-up Empire Maker, who skipped the Preakness; Atswhatimtalknbout, fourth in the Derby; and Lone Star Derby winner Dynever, a rising star in his own right and set for his Triple Crown debut.
Also under consideration are Midway Road and Scrimshaw, the second- and third-place finishers in the Preakness; Ten Most Wanted, the Illinois Derby winner who was ninth in the Kentucky Derby; Most Feared, Outta Here and Ten Cents a Shine.