It’s a Real Quiet Flight to New York

Real Quiet continued his jet-setting Wednesday with a 90-minute flight from Louisville, Ky., and a police-escorted ride from JFK Airport to Belmont for Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.

At the invitation of Mike Pegram, who owns Real Quiet, Kent Desormeaux made his first plane trip with a horse Wednesday, and a little later, at the barn where the Derby-Preakness winner is stabled, the 28-year-old jockey all but predicted a win Saturday and a Triple Crown sweep. Such an accomplishment would be worth $560,000 to Desormeaux, who would receive a 10% share of the $600,000 winner’s purse and the $5-million Triple Crown bonus.

“I’m 98% sure we’ll win,” Desormeaux said. “There’s always the question of a horse’s health, and a simple stumble at the gate could be a problem. I’m not going to guarantee a win, but I’ve very confident.”

Desormeaux was impressed with Real Quiet’s aplomb during the trip. “When a horse travels as well as this one did,” he said, “it means that he’s not going to lose any energy before the gates open Saturday.”

Horse Racing Notes

The weather forecast, which called for rain Friday, now stretches the possibility for showers into Saturday. . . . The Daily Racing Form’s early line on the Belmont makes Real Quiet an even-money favorite.