California Chrome is fast and all, but ...

Horse racing once was bigger in this country than football, bigger than basketball, bigger than even 'Godzilla” or 'X-Men.”

Saturday, the eyes of America will return to the Sport of Kings when California Chrome tries to win the Belmont Stakes and become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

So that would be nice. But it won't contain even a sliver of the emotion and excitement provided by the greatest Triple Crown winner of all-time, and the greatest four-legged also-ran in history.

Books, movies and Broadway musicals were made about their story. They, of course, were Hurdy and Gurdy.

Their rivalry began in Louisville at the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel of the Triple Crown. It had a field of 16 fine horses. But for the entire Derby, it was Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy.

It was a photo finish. Hurdy won by a neck.

'I am the Kentucky Derby champion and I am on my way to the Triple Crown,” Hurdy bragged to Gurdy as the two ambled off the Churchill Downs track.

'Neigh,” Gurdy replied. It was one of his favorite respones. But he added: 'I now have you measured and will certainly use the knowledge I acquired today to attain victory at the Preakness.”

Baltimore's Preakness, the second jewel of the Triple Crown, had a field of 12 fine horses. But for the entire race, it was Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy.

It was a photo finish. Hurdy won by a nose.

'That's two down and one to go, old sport. Immortality is soon to be mine,” Hurdy snootily chided Gurdy as the two ambled off the Pimlico Race Course track.

'Neigh,” Gurdy replied confidently. 'The Belmont is a mile-and-a-half. The extra distance will surely favor me.”

And off they went to New York's Belmont Stakes, the final jewel of the Triple Crown. It had a field of nine fine race horses. Seven of them, however, knew the best they could hope for was third-place. For it was the year of Hurdy and Gurdy.

The bell sounded, the gate opened, and it was Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy.

That was not a misprint. It was Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy - Hurdy - Gurdy.

At least 40 times, and perhaps as many as 42, one took the lead from the other. Finally, it was a photo finish. Hurdy won by a whisker.

Historians still consider it the most-spellbinding sporting competition in the history of the solar system, although the only reliable data they have has come from Earth.

'I must hand it to you,” Gurdy told Hurdy as they ambled off the Belmont Park track. 'I ran with every fiber of my being today, and I still couldn't quite defeat you. You deserve all tribute that comes your way.”

'Gurdy, I can't tell you how much that means to me,” Hurdy replied. 'There could never be a worthier worthy adversary than yourself. Let's do lunch sometime.”

The two then exchanged business cards and began to part ways.

A dog who watched the race from the rail wasn't a bit moved by this mutual display of admiration. He had wagered $2 on Gurdy to win, and you know how dogs get when they lose money.

'You choked again, Gurdy!” the dog growled as it chewed up its losing ticket. 'If you were my horse, I'd whip you. And not just during the race, fella.”

But rather than take offense at such unseemly behavior, Gurdy quivered with giddy excitement.

'Hurdy, hurry over here, you won't believe this!” Gurdy shouted in astonishment. 'It's a talking dog!”