Local sports news in the slow mode season right now

We’re kinda in that in between stretch in local sports schedules for a few weeks now, with everyone taking a deep breath after the conclusion of yet another school year, and with graduation behind us.

With the exception of the Little League baseball and softball season, which is a busy stretch for those coaches, players and parents as they try to get games in during what has been a seemingly monsoon season lately, there just isn’t a lot of local sports activities going on.

A little golf here and there, and fishing activity on both lakes is busy, but other than that, local sports is a little slow right now.

So – a brief note about the upcoming weekend and the third jewel in the Triple Crown . . .

Third jewel in the crown may be realized this Saturday

Dating myself a little here, but I remember when Steve Cauthen rode Affirmed to the last Triple Crown trio of wins back in 1978, the last time a horse captured the coveted accomplishment.

In that year, Affirmed ran first to his arch rival Alydar’s second place finish in all three legs of the crown, the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.

In Saturday’s upcoming Belmont Stakes race, American Pharoah is going to go for that coveted third jewel in the Triple Crown having already put the Kentucky Derby and Preakness trophies on the shelf.

His Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, will be sending his fourth horse into a run for the Triple Crown possibility, and with a field of what was announced on Tuesday as only eight horses, I’m betting this will be the year we get to celebrate yet another Triple Crown winner.

Says here – put your $2 on Pharoah to win in Saturday’s race – it’s been 37 years since we had a Triple Crown winner before – if for no other reason, the law of averages has to catch up with the chances sooner or later – for the racing industry as well as for Baffert.

Post time Saturday is 5:50 p.m. central, on NBC