ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: If you are just tuning in and you are wondering who won out at Belmont, and your money was on Funny Cide, I got to tell you: He did not win. And Josie Karp is standing by live right now, to fill us in on how close he came and winning, and the fact, I guess that Empire Maker was the one first who crossed the line.</s>JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Andrea, Empire Maker was actually the horse that everyone thought would have the best shot at the Triple Crown when the Triple Crown season began five weeks ago, but he played the role of a spoiler today. He finished first here in the Belmont stakes, and a lot of disappointed people because it's been so long since there've been a Triple Crown winner, 25 years, and Funny Cide got off to a fast start. He had the lead for much of the race, but Empire Maker took the leader, they headed down the back stretch. Funny Cide actually, ended up by finishing third in this race, 10 most wanted finish seconds, and again -- it ended up being a very electric atmosphere here, right before the horses went out of the gate. Fans chanting, Funny Cide, clearly, everyone was hoping to see history made here at the Belmont on this very sloppy track, but like this happened so many years before, this was a fifth time in the last seven years that a horse had a chance for the Triple Crown and it was the fifth time in the last seven years that a horse was denied -- Andrea.</s>KOPPEL: Well, I'm just happy to see that nobody got injured in it. But it's a big disappointment to a lot of Funny Cide fans, and it would have been incredibly exciting evening. Josie Karp, thank you so much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Empire Maker Wins Belmont Stakes