BAFFERT'S DECISION GIVES THE BELMONT EVEN MORE INTRIGUE.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Horse Racing

After 1997, when the popular gray Silver Charm mounted the first Triple Crown threat of the decade and missed by less than a length, the question was how the Belmont Stakes could top that.

Then came '98, the second coming of Bob Baffert, the bobbing nose that kept Real Quiet from making history, and the question was how the Belmont could top that.

In '99, it might have found a way.

The June 5 Belmont can't guarantee another photo finish, but the pre-race drama promises to be even richer than the past two years as Charismatic - whose rags-to-riches story puts Real Quiet's to shame - prepares to face as many as 13 colts and one filly.

The colts include Menifee, who finished second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, gaining on Charismatic at the finish. Menifee is trained by Elliott Walden, whose Victory Gallop spoiled the Triple Crown for Real Quiet, so there's a natural story line.

Yet what turned the ``intrigue'' dial to 11 was Baffert's commitment to enter the filly, Silverbulletday, who will try to make history not merely as a Triple Crown spoiler but as the first Belmont winner of her gender since Tanya in 1905.

A Baffert decision is never final until the starting gate opens, but assuming he intends to run Silverbulletday against males for the first time after 12 races and 11 wins, it's a mysterious choice, inviting speculation about an ulterior motive.

Although Baffert and owner Mike Pegram think Silverbulletday might be the nation's best 3-year-old, they withheld her from the Kentucky Derby (too many horses, too long a race at 1-1/4 miles) and the Preakness (bad post position). It sounded as if they wanted to polish her reputation with a lot of talk and were afraid to test her.

But after Baffert had ruled out the Belmont, especially if Silverbulletday would have to run in a 12-horse field, the trainer changed his mind this week, earning the ridicule of writers like the New York Daily News' Bill Finley, who called him ``The Waffle King.''

Why would Baffert question her 1-1/4-mile stamina and then race her 1-1/2? Why did he chicken out in Kentucky and Baltimore if he really thought she was better than the colts? Does he secretly pray for the hoof bruise or unlucky draw that would give him an excuse not to run her in the Belmont either?

And is it too late to enter her in the Indy 500 (and then withdraw her, inspiring speculation on the lines of, ``She coulda beat those Chevies!'')?

Could it be that this is nothing but a way for Baffert to sneak back into the spotlight after having to read about Charismatic trainer D. Wayne Lukas for a couple of weeks?

What can we say except, it's working?

The prospects: Charismatic's possible Belmont opponents include Preakness losers Menifee (second), Stephen Got Even (fourth), Patience Game (fifth) and Adonis (sixth); recent stakes winners Best of Luck (the Peter Pan), Lead Em Home (the Sir Barton), and Vision and Verse (Illinois Derby); and Lemon Drop Kid, Pineaff, Port Bayou, Prime Directive, Silverbulletday, The Groom is Red, and Walk That Walk.

Jock of all media: Chris Antley looks tired these days, and no wonder. It's been one print, radio and TV interview after another, a dozen on Thursday alone.

``Don't feel sorry for me - I'm glad to be in position to do it,'' Antley said.

Antley, who will fly to New York on Tuesday, said he'll keep up his hectic schedule through Wednesday, then rest Thursday and Friday, when he has agreed to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

Who's No. 35? ESPN took a lot of ribbing for including Secretariat among the men and women on its list of the century's top 50 athletes.

One thought: Horse racing's athletes deserve to be recognized somehow, and if not on that list, then which?

Another thought: Man o'War, not Secretariat, would be a more sophisticated choice for the top thoroughbred. But ESPN put Man o'War at No. 84, behind Secretariat (No. 35) and ahead of Citation (No. 97).

Of course, a TV network is going to choose the most-photographed, most-filmed horse in history. Another reason not to rely on a TV network for perspective.

The weekend: Hollywood Park will offer seven stakes worth $1.375 million during the long Memorial Day weekend.

The first of note is Saturday's Californian, which will serve as the Hollywood Gold Cup prep for Puerto Madero (Kent Desormeaux), racing for the first time since his poor fifth in the Santa Anita Handicap. His opponents include Budroyale, Hal's Pal and Old Trieste.

Monday's Charles Whittingham Handicap - the former Hollywood Turf Handicap is renamed for the Hall of Fame trainer who died last month - finds River Bay (Alex Solis) trying to regain his form for trainer Bobby Frankel.

Out of town, the holiday weekend highlights are Saturday's Massachusetts Handicap, with Real Quiet (Gary Stevens) facing Behrens while trying not to look ahead to the June 27 Gold Cup, and Saturday's Met Mile at Belmont Park, with top-weighted Affirmed Success taking on Cat Thief, Lil's Lad, Rock and Roll, Crafty Friend, Lord Grillo and others.

A WEEK AT THE RACES

Hollywood Park leaders: Jockeys (through Wednesday): Alex Solis, 21 winners; Garrett Gomez and Emile Ramsammy, 14; Chris Antley, David Flores and Laffit Pincay, 13; Gary Stevens, 12. Trainers: Ron McAnally, 16; Bob Hess Jr. 7; Jack Carava, Jerry Dutton and Ted West, 6.

Handicapper helper: The Belmont Stakes, to be run June 5 in New York, usually is the most formful of the Triple Crown races. No winner has paid 10-1 or better since Temperence Hill (53-1) in 1980. The Belmont has had four winning favorites in the 20 years the Derby has had none.

On the stakes schedule: At Hollywood Park: Saturday, $300,000 Californian, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/8 miles, and $100,000 Desert Stormer Handicap, fillies and mares 3 and up, 6 furlongs; Sunday, $150,000 Estrapade, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1-1/2 miles on turf, and $100,000 Los Angeles Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs; Monday, $400,000 Charles Whittingham Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/4 miles on turf, $250,000 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles, and $75,000 Laz Barrera Memorial, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs. At Golden Gate Fields: Saturday, $150,000 California Derby, 3-year-olds, 1-1/8 miles. At Belmont Park: Saturday, $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile. At Suffolk Downs: Saturday, $600,000 Massachusetts Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 1-1/8 miles.

Mileposts: Gary Stevens rode People's Princess to victory at odds-on Thursday at Hollywood Park in his last Southern California appearance before his long-planned move to England next week. The Hall of Famer has ridden here for 15 years. This isn't exactly goodbye. Stevens is expected to return for specific stakes races. . . . Hollywood Park reduced purses, including those of 11 stakes, by an average of 7 percent, after early wagering totals fell short of expectations. But track officials said purses will remain higher than those at the 1998 spring-summer meet. . . . Arlington International Racecourse will reopen after three years sometime in 2000, now that track owner Dick Duchossois has won concessions from the Illinois legislature, including property tax breaks and revenue from riverboat casinos. . . . Musgrave's allowance victory Wednesday made Ron McAnally the third trainer to win 600 races at Hollywood Park. McAnally joined Charlie Whittingham (859) and Bobby Frankel (734). . . . The Dubai-owned 3-year-olds who went 1 for 13 with earnings totaling $47,200 in the United States this season - according to Daily Racing Form statistics - are heading for England. Worldly Manner, the Del Mar Futurity purchased for $5 million by Sheikh Mohammed, finished seventh in the Kentucky Derby and 12th in the Preakness. . . . Secretariat owner Penny Chenery said she will auction off her memorabilia through Sotheby's to raise money for a full-size bronze of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. The statue is to be erected at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. . . . Executive Chef, winner of Thursday's opener, gave jockey Martin Pedroza his first Southern California victory since his return from Chicago. . . . The Inglewood Handicap victory by Brave Act and jockey Goncalino Almeida earned the highest Beyer speed figure (113) by a turf horse this year.

- Kevin Modesti

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Box: A WEEK AT THE RACES (See text)