Thus far, it has been a pretty good Triple Crown for trainer Dale Romans. It could get a lot better. After finishing third in the Kentucky Derby with Paddy O'Prado and second in the Preakness with First Dude, Romans will try to continue the upward trend when he brings First Dude back in Saturday's 142nd Belmont Stakes. First Dude is the only member of the 12-horse Preakness field to run back in the Belmont and will be one of just four horses that will have run in two of the three legs of the Triple Crown. Barring a late entry, no horse this year will run in all three Triple Crown races. "He's a big strong horse, I think he can handle a lot," Romans said Saturday morning. "He's taken everything we've ever given him and bounces right back." After shipping from Baltimore to Kentucky the day after the Preakness, First Dude was vanned to Belmont Park on May 22. Following a week of galloping over the main track, First Dude worked five furlongs in 1:00.88 Saturday morning with exercise rider Tammy Fox in the irons. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/triplecrown2010/news/story?id=5232780
