I like to view goals as steppingstones on a journey rather than a destination at which to arrive. This mentality has allowed for the ever-humbling qualities of some horses to be a smoother pill to swallow when life hands you lemons. Sometimes things just fall out of place no matter how much planning went into them. Sometimes, all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy the lemonade. It’s in these times that we can often grow the most as horsemen and women.

Although there will be no Triple Crown on the line when the 151st Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets is run on Saturday at Belmont Park, the tradition-rich mile-and-a-half contest still carries great weight. The last of the spring classics could establish a leader of the 3-year-old division, depending on the outcome.