BELMONT STAKES Purge may be Smarty Jones' key challenger

Smarty Jones overtook Purge in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Purge is going to try -- yet again -- to beat Smarty Jones in the Belmont Stakes.
If he succeeds after two previous failures, Purge would spoil Smarty's bid to give racing its 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed in 1978.
Preakness runner-up Rock Hard Ten is taking on the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner again, too.
John Servis, Smarty's trainer, is worried about both challengers.
"Not only are they the toughest horses in the race, but any time this year I think those are going to be the toughest horses we run against," he said.
Undefeated Smarty Jones arrived at Belmont Park on Wednesday, having been made the 2-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's race. After a van ride from his home base at Philadelphia Park, the chestnut colt walked into Barn 5, where 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat was housed.
Purge, who is 3-for-3 in races without Smarty Jones in the field, was the second choice at 5-1.
Home-track advantage
Purge enjoys a home-track advantage at Belmont Park. He lives in a stall not far from the paddock where he will parade before more than 100,000 fans Saturday. He came from just off the pace and won the Peter Pan Stakes by 63/4 lengths at Belmont on May 22, earning another shot at Smarty.
"Smarty Jones has never run here. He's not stabled here," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "Does that project we're going to beat him? No, but it gives you a little more incentive to want to try it."
Purge finished second to Smarty in the Rebel Stakes and fifth behind him in the Arkansas Derby. Both times Purge ran on the lead and Smarty overtook him.
Purge was favored over Smarty Jones in the Rebel at Oaklawn Park in March, the only time in Smarty's eight career races that he wasn't the wagering favorite.
Change in tactics
Pletcher plans a change in tactics for the 11/2-mile Belmont.
"I don't want to be in a position where at the five-eighths pole, half-mile pole or three-eighths pole, Smarty Jones tells us when to move," he said. "That's what happened in Arkansas. By reversing the positions, if Smarty Jones moves, we don't have to. We've tried twice to be in front of him and that didn't work, so we've got to try something else."
Servis expects varying tactics from Smarty's eight challengers.
"Let's face it, we've got a bulls-eye on our back," he said. "There are going to be some things happening in this race that are going to be totally uncharacteristic for a normal race and Stewart [Elliott] is going to have to get through that."
Jockey Elliott is 1-for-13 at Belmont Park since 1991.
Frankel has Master David
Bobby Frankel, who spoiled Funny Cide's Triple bid last year when Empire Maker won the Belmont, entered 20-1 long shot Master David.
"I had a lot better chance last year," he said. Smarty Jones "looks like 10 lengths the best. He seems like the perfect horse right now."
Master David was 12th in the Derby and third behind Purge in the Peter Pan.
Nick Zito will saddle Birdstone (15-1) and Royal Assault (20-1). Zito has never won the Belmont in 11 tries. He's finished second five times.
Smarty Jones will break from the No. 9 post, giving Elliott a clear view of his rivals going into the first turn on Belmont's sweeping track.
"I don't think the pressure will be a factor in my performance," Elliott said. "It looks like right now, he could very well be in front, which is fine. Just getting him to relax is the main thing."