Zito not ready to concede Triple Crown to Big Brown

By Steve Ginsburg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Though he may be in the minority, Nick Zito is not ready to concede Saturday's $1 million Belmont Stakes to undefeated Big Brown.

"The horse Upset beat Man o' War and that's where you get the sports terminology 'upset'," the Hall of Fame trainer told reporters on Friday. "Let's see what happens."

Zito, who will saddle longshots Da' Tara and Anak Nakal in the 10-horse Belmont, admits it will take something special for the unbeaten Big Brown to lose his bid for the Triple Crown.

But, he added, it was possible, he said.

"Big Brown is the best on paper, no doubt," said Zito. "But all of the horses have chances, that's how you have to play it. It's racing. There's a lot of luck involved."

Zito believes if Big Brown loses his first race it will be because of the Belmont's taxing mile-and-a-half distance, a length none of the horses have ever run.

In fact, it is likely none of the horses will run that far again.

"It's not a mile-and-a-quarter, it's not a mile-and-an-eighth. It's a mile-and-a-half," he said. "You have to go those eighths of a mile until the end. So you never know."

Zito is hoping for a little deja vu, having saddled Birdstone to a shock triumph in the 2004 Belmont to shatter the Triple Crown bid of previously unbeaten Smarty Jones.

Birdstone overtook a badly tiring Smarty Jones in the stretch, a scenario that is all too familiar for horses trying to complete one of the greatest feats in sports.

Zito called the Belmont "a challenging distance test of champions" and said it was the primary reason no horse has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978.

The trainer said Secretariat's Triple Crown-winning 31-length triumph in the 1973 Belmont is unlikely to be seen again.

"He ran the last part as fast as he ran the first part, which is unheard of," said Zito. "It was an amazing race. The Belmont is unique."

(Editing by John Mehaffey)