Herzlich Willkommen » Triple Crown winner, but he suggested it

BALTIMORE -- California Chrome might abandon his Triple Crown bid if New York officials do not allow the colt to wear a nasal strip in the Belmont Stakes. Carlton Fisk Jersey . Trainer Art Sherman made no threats about the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner passing on a chance to become horse racings 12th Triple Crown winner, but he suggested it was a possibility. "Id have to leave it up to the owners," he said Sunday. "I know theyll be upset." Neither the New York State Gaming Commission nor the New York Racing Association stewards has received a request to use nasal strips in the Belmont on June 7. "If a request to use nasal strips is made, the decision on whether to permit them or not will be fully evaluated and determined by the stewards," Gaming Commission spokesman Lee Park said Sunday. Among the Gaming Commissions rules governing Belmont Park is one that states: Only equipment specifically approved by the stewards shall be worn or carried by a jockey or a horse in a race. In a post on its Twitter feed, NYRA said: "We operate under the rules set forth by (at)NYSGamingCommission." California Chrome has worn a nasal strip during his current six-race winning streak after co-owner Perry Martin wanted to try it. Sherman is based in California and said he wasnt aware that using one in New York might be a problem. He said he would talk to New York racing officials and the horses owners. Some horses, like humans, wear nasal strips to assist breathing. The colt wears the strip only during races, not training. At 1 1/2 miles, the Belmont is the longest and most grueling of the three Triple Crown races. "I think it opens up his air passage and gives him that little extra oomph that he needs, especially going a mile and a half," Sherman said. "Anytime you can have a good air passage, that means a lot for these thoroughbreds." Sherman said Martin likes to try different products and the co-owner thought a nasal strip might benefit California Chrome. "This guy, Perry Martin, he might not run if they say you cant run with a nasal strip. Hes very funny about things like that," the trainer said. "I dont know why they would ban you from wearing one. Well have to cross that bridge when we get there." Other states allow nasal strips while racing, and even some jockeys wear them. "Its something nonmedical that can be beneficial to a workout or a race," California-based trainer Doug ONeill said by phone. "If you think your horse could use some help with their nostrils, you do it." Two years ago, ONeill trained Ill Have Another to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with the colt wearing a nasal strip. New York officials told ONeill that his horse couldnt wear one in the Belmont. The issue became moot when Ill Have Another was scratched the day before the race because of a leg injury. "I cant imagine them being that ignorant that they would do that again," ONeill said. "New York has gotten a lot better with common sense. It seems like a more rational place now." NYRA has several new officials since 2012, including Martin Panza, the former racing secretary at now-closed Betfair Hollywood Park in California who now oversees racing operations at Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct. Sherman said California Chrome came out of Saturdays Preakness in good shape, emptying his feed tub after the race. The colt playfully nibbled on his leather shank outside the barn as his two front legs were washed off Sunday. A worker removed a poultice from each lower front leg, which had been applied under bandages as a precaution to protect the colts tendons. The nasal strip could prove insignificant, as did California Chromes cough that had no impact on his Preakness run. The colt has a small blister in his throat that caused him to cough last week, triggering rumours that he wouldnt run at Pimlico. Sherman thinks California Chrome will win the Triple Crown, something no horse has done since Affirmed in 1978. "I have a good feeling about it. Im really confident," he said. "They better have their running shoes on. I dont care how many fresh shooters they have. Hes the real McCoy." If California Chrome competes, the Belmont Stakes is shaping up as a possible 11-horse race, including two newcomers to the Triple Crown trail: Commissioner, sixth in the Arkansas Derby; and Tonalist, the Peter Pan Stakes winner. Other probables include the second- through fifth-place finishers in the Kentucky Derby: Commanding Curve, Danza, Wicked Strong and Samraat. Intense Holiday, 12th in the Derby, is on the list. Three Preakness runners could return: Ride On Curlin (second), Social Inclusion (third) and Kid Cruz (eighth). Jackie Bradley Jr Jersey .Y. -- Mike Zigomaniss goal at 5:53 of the third period stood up as the winner as the Rochester Americans hung on to defeat the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. Johnny Pesky Jersey . - Gary Kubiak is John Elways No. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-Blake-Swihart-Kids-Jersey/ .com) - Maria Sharapova rallied for a three- set win over Ana Ivanovic on Saturday to capture the season-opening Brisbane International tennis tournament.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Western Conference has six teams with at least 13 wins and the Portland Trail Blazers are one of them. The Blazers are one of the hottest teams in the entire league and will make a trip to Denver Tuesday to face the Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Portland had a season-best nine-game winning streak stopped with Fridays 112-99 loss to the league-leading Memphis Grizzlies. Portland got back on track two days later with a 107-93 triumph versus the Minnesota Timberwolves and LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Aldridge leads the Blazers in points (21.4) and rebounds (9.6), and has registered four double-doubles in the past five games. Wesley Matthews scored 23 points versus the Timberwolves and Damian Lillard chipped in 17 to go with eight assists for Portland, which allowed 32 points in the fourth quarter and fended off what could have been a Minnesota rally. It was a struggle for most of the night just kind of getting into a rhythm, said Portland coach Terry Stotts, who reached 100 wins with the team. When we were able to get some stops in the second and third quarter, that was important for us. Thats when were at our best, when we get some stops. Im disappointed that they scored 32 in the fourth quarter. I would have liked to have a better defensive fourth quarter. ... But its hard to be too disappointed with a win. The Trail Blazers outrebounded Minnesota, 54-43, and have finished with more boards than their opponents in four of the last five games. Lillard scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and Matthews made six 3-pointers for a third consecutive game, a team record. The Trail Blazers are 4-0 against Northwest opponents and 11-1 when scoring 100 or more points. They are seventh with 104.2 ppg and seventh iin opponents scoring (96. Roger Clemens Jersey. 2). Portland, which is 4-2 on the road, will host Indiana Thursday before heading east for five straight against New York, Detroit, Minnesota, Chicago and Indiana. Denver squeezed past the Utah Jazz, 103-101, Monday night in Salt Lake City and struggled in the second half. The Jazz had a 58-41 advantage over the last two quarters, but the Nuggets used a 36-20 difference in the second to get the win. Ty Lawson and Wilson Chandler were two of seven players to score in double digits and finished with 15 points apiece. Lawson handed out 12 assists, while Arron Afflalo scored 14 points before being ejected with 5:55 to play for a hard foul on Alec Burks. A flagrant foul type 2 is an immediate ejection. Either way, the Nuggets held on for the win, their eighth in 10 games. It feels good to be on the winning side of things, Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw said. A close game in a hostile environment, and we had to make the plays we needed to win the game and we were able to do it and have a positive experience behind that, so well take it. Denver may be fourth in scoring with 105.4 ppg, but is 26th in opponents scoring at 105.2 ppg. That could mean trouble with the Blazers coming into the Rocky Mountains with Aldridge, Lillard and the hot-shooting Matthews. The Nuggets, who are 5-3 at home, will start a three-game trip east on Friday against Washington, Atlanta and Toronto. Nuggets center JaVale McGee has missed the last four games with a leg injury and is questionable Tuesday. Portland is already 2-0 against Denver this season and has won six straight and 10 of the past 14 games between division rivals. The Blazers have won three straight at Denver, but are only 5-24 in the previous 29 matchups as the guest in this series. 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