BALTIMORE – The past three years, Belmont Park was the place to be on Belmont Stakes day as 80,000-plus fans packed the track to see Silver Charm, Real Quiet and Charismatic shoot for the Triple Crown.

This year, all seats at the Big B were sold out weeks ago in anticipation of Fusaichi Pegasus succeeding where those three colts failed.

Red Bullet put an end to that dream in the Preakness. Now, the lusterless Belmont Stakes appears simply to be the ninth race at Belmont on June 10.

Ever since the Kentucky Derby, trainer D. Wayne Lukas accused the media of over-hyping Fusaichi Pegasus.

“When he walked by once,” Lukas said yesterday morning at Pimlico, “I told some people, ‘There goes Man o’ War, and if you don’t believe me, ask those guys [reporters] over there.’ “

So, Wayne, how should the media promote a Belmont with no chance for a Triple Crown?

“It’s the ‘Test of the Champion,'” he said. “Let’s see who can run a mile-and-a-half in June. Use your imagination.”

Actually, what the Belmont lacks in high drama, it makes up for as a very competitive betting race. Fusaichi Pegasus and Red Bullet, who seem bound for a rematch, will vie for favoritsm with Derby runner-up Aptitude.

Held out of the Preakness by trainer Bobby Frankel to await the Belmont, Aptitude will be the fresh horse, and he’s bred for the distance (by Belmont winner A.P. Indy out of a sister to Belmont winner Coastal).

Impeachment, a stretch-running third in the Derby and Preakness, will attract support. So will Wheelaway, who made a big late move in the Derby, finishing fifth, and also skipped the Preakness for the Belmont.

Unshaded, who circled the field to win the Lexington Stakes in April, wasn’t nominated to the Triple Crown. But owner James Tafel will supplement him to the Belmont for $100,000 if he runs well in Saturday’s Peter Pan at Belmont. Tahkoda Hills also preps in the Peter Pan.

Shiekh Mohammed’s Godolphin Stable plans to run an entry of Chief Seattle and Curule. Globalize, who was scratched from the Derby after his pony kicked him one morning, is a possibility.