Belmont Stakes

The Triple Crown is at hand for Big Brown, but his coronation as one of racing's elite horses will have to wait.

So say many in the racing business, people who are starving for a Triple Crown winner but wary of bestowing greatness on a precocious 3-year-old before it has been earned.

Belmont Stakes Saturday, 6:25 p.m. post time, Elmont, N.Y., chs. 2, 7

Past royalty

Triple Crown winners:

Year Horse

1919 Sir Barton

1930 Gallant Fox

1935 Omaha

1937 War Admiral

1941 Whirlaway

1943 Count Fleet

1946 Assault

1948 Citation

1973 Secretariat

1977 Seattle Slew

1978 Affirmed