June 1, 1999. Copyright, 1999, Graphic News. All rights reserved

CHARISMATIC ON COURSE FOR U.S. TRIPLE CROWN
By Julie Mullins

LONDON, June 1, Graphic News:  CHARISMATIC stands on the brink of Triple Crown glory, with only the Belmont Stakes on June 5 between him and a place in the record books after victories in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes in May.
The three-year-old is attempting to become only the 12th Triple Crown champion Ð and the first for 21 years Ð emulating the feat of his legendary great-grandsire, Secretariat, who himself ended a 25-year drought on winning the Triple Crown in 1973.
When Seattle Slew and Affirmed raced to the Triple Crown in consecutive years in 1977 and 1978, it seemed likely that a new champion would emerge every few years.
But Affirmed remains the last winner, although this is now the third successive year that a Triple Crown contender has lined up for the Belmont. And no-one will be keener to see Charismatic triumph than owners Robert and Beverly Lewis, hoping to compensate for their disappointment two years ago when another of their horses, Silver Charm, failed to carry off the big prize.
With fansÕ hopes dashed again last year when Real Quiet was caught right at the finish, Charismatic may just prove tough enough to survive the gruelling Triple Crown campaign.
Regarded as recently as February as something of a Ôchunky plodderÕ, Charismatic was a surprise winner at both Churchill Downs and Pimlico but trainer D. Wayne Lukas has been confident from the start that the longer Belmont Park course represents the coltÕs best shot. The horse thrives on hard work and, Lukas believes, his stamina and robust physique suits the Belmont Stakes to a tee.
Interviewed after winning the Preakness Stakes, jockey Chris Antley said, ÔItÕs an unbelievable feeling when you capture the second leg of the Triple Crown. You canÕt hear individual cheers. You just hear one big blur of the scream, almost like background noise. It sounds like a winning touchdown during Super Bowl Sunday. And that continuous scream lasted all the way to the wire.Õ
ÔOur goal is to win. Period. I get spiders up the back of my neck just thinking about it. Winning the Triple Crown is just a myth, a magical dreamland.Õ
Perhaps, on June 5, the dream will become a reality.
/ENDS

Sources: NTRA, Thoroughbred Times