With NYRA’s weather service calling for a 70 percent chance of showers by 3 p.m. today, and heavy rain possible after 6 o’clock, an off-track looms for the Belmont Stakes (post time 6:38).

The more moisture in Belmont’s sandy main track, the faster it becomes. When it’s extremely sloppy, as it was for Conquistador Cielo’s 14-length romp in the 1982 Belmont, front-runners can be near-impossible to catch. The last few times the track was “muddy” or “good,” the Belmont was won from off the pace.

Funny Cide, who blew away the Preakness field over a “good” surface, moves up if it’s off.

“His father [Distorted Humor] liked the mud,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “It doesn’t seem to bother him in his training. He did run on a couple of fairly wet tracks and handled them all right.”

Empire Maker can handle it, too. He beat Funny Cide when Aqueduct was muddy for the Wood Memorial, and he’s inbred to In Reality, a superior off-track sire.

Ten Most Wanted also has the pedigree to manage mud. His sire, Deputy Commander, won the Travers on a sloppy track.

FORECAST

62 degrees scattered thunderstorms

STAFF PICKS

ED FOUNTAINE: Empire Maker, Dynever, Funny Cide

RAY KERRISON: Funny Cide, Empire Maker, Dynever

JOHN DASILVA: Funny Cide, Empire Maker, Dynever

TOM V: Empire Maker. Funny Cide, Dynever

GREG GALLO: Dynever, Funny Cide, Ten Most Wanted

VIC CANGIALOSI: Ten Most Wanted, Funny Cide, Dynever

ANTHONY STABILE: Funny Cide, Dynever, Scrimshaw

BILL SMITH: Dynever, Funny Cide, Supervisor

DEBBIE LITTLE: Dynever, Empire Maker, Funny Cide

DICK KLAYMAN: Dynever, Empire Maker, Funny Cide

HONDO: Ten Most Wanted, Empire Maker, Funny Cide