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NEW YORK -- Martin Panza celebrated California Chromes charge to Preakness Stakes victory three weeks ago like most fans at the packed Pimlico Race Course -- bumping fists, slapping hands and thinking ahead to Saturday and the possibility of the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years. And then Belmont Parks director of racing operations thought about everything else: the tens of thousands of additional people who show up for the Belmont Stakes whenever a horse has a chance at history; the millions more in expected wagers; and the need for more of everything, from seating, concessions to bathrooms, security and about 1,000 additional workers. You can watch the Belmont Stakes on TSN this Saturday, with coverage beginning at 2:30pm et/11:30am pt. Local officials and business leaders celebrated too, seeing the race and the added interest of a Triple Crown contender as a boon of sold-out hotel rooms, dinners out and free publicity, so long as the writers and broadcasters were aware the track is actually on Long Island, as NBCs Bob Costas noted Wednesday, and not in New York City. If California Chrome triumphs, it will happen on Panzas turf -- or rather, his dirt -- at an marquee New York-area event that the tracks new management team reimagined earlier this year as a fusion of sports and entertainment worth attending even when the Triple Crown is not on the line. They have filled the undercard with high-stakes races, increased the days total purse to $8 million -- the second-richest day in American horse racing behind the final slate of the Breeders Cup -- and surrounded the action with music from rapper and actor LL Cool J, former New York Yankees centre fielder Bernie Williams and Frank Sinatra Jr. singing "New York, New York." "For the first year of us doing this, under this new format, its not going to get any better than this," Panza said in an interview near his track office, which was filled with boxes of Belmont Stakes caps and bags of other race souvenirs. "From our end, what we need to do now is observe how the day goes and see what we can do for next year, always thinking that there could be another Triple Crown on the line." California Chrome is the 12th horse to reach Long Island with wins in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, since Affirmed won all three in 1978. Attendance for those 11 races averaged nearly 30,000 more than in years without a contender -- going from a low of 37,171 in 1995 when Thunder Gulch and Timber Country split the Derby and the Preakness, to a record 120,139 in 2004 when Birdstone upset Smarty Jones in the last of a three-year stretch of Triple Crown contenders in the Belmont Stakes. On-site wagering on the race-day program also surged in those years, according to track records, jumping from $6.8 million in contender-less 1996 to $9.2 million the following year when Silver Charm took the first two races, and from $8.8 million in contender-less 2007 to $13.3 million when Big Brown raced for history in 2008. Ill Have Anothers wins in Louisville and Baltimore sent attendance for the 2012 Belmont Stakes to nearly 86,000 and on-site wagering to $13.8 million even though the horse was withdrawn the day before the race due to a leg injury. The head of the tracks management team said ticket sales for this years Belmont Stakes, with its emphasis on high-level racing and daylong entertainment, were already brisk before California Chrome broke from the gate at Churchill Downs in May. More than 70 per cent of tickets and premium tables for the race were sold before the Derby and all were gone before the Preakness, according to New York Racing Association president and chief executive officer Christopher Kay. After the Preakness, Kay said, they added a trackside tent and additional seating to accommodate the surge of interest in a potential California Chrome coronation. General admission and grandstand tickets costing $10 remained available through the track late in the week and more than 3,000 tickets, ranging from $12 for grandstand to $2,300 for a table for two at the Garden Terrace Restaurant, were available on the secondary ticket sales website StubHub.com. Good weather -- 82 degrees and sunny, according to the National Weather Service -- could push the crowd into record territory. "Our intent is to make Belmont Stakes day an important day year in and year out," Kay said. This year it has been an important day -- and week -- for business. The largest hotel on Long Island, a Marriott with more than 600 rooms in Uniondale, and the ornate Garden City Hotel -- where management said all of the owners, trainers and jockeys in the Belmont Stakes were staying and where the menu includes a cocktail named for each horse -- have sold out under race-related demand. Other hotels were also booked solid, officials said, forcing some out-of-town fans to find lodging in Suffolk County, about 20 miles east, or stay in Manhattan, about 15 miles west. "This Triple Crown opportunity doesnt come too often," state hotel association chairman John Tsunis said. "But, whoever wins in the race, the real winners will be Long Island and New York State." 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It was the first game back in Columbus for Rangers star Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets franchise leader in goals, assists and games. He was given a standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, but was booed loud and long after a second-period, two-handed shove up high on Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey ." The game can be seen live on TSN starting with Monday Night Countdown at 6:30 p.m et/3:30 p.m. pt. The Patriots, who had a bye in Week 10, will look to continue the offensive success they had a week earlier when New England scored 55 points and racked up 610 yards of total offense in a 55-31 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Steelers.EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Adreian Payne returned and Keith Appling sat out. Just another night in this injury-plagued season for Michigan State, which is still right there at the top of the Big Ten standings. "I just feel that were in the hunt right now," Spartans coach Tom Izzo said. "After what weve gone through, were in the hunt, and thats what I told our players. Youve got to be in the hunt before you get a chance to win a championship." Payne scored 12 points in his first game back from a foot injury, and the ninth-ranked Spartans kept pace in the league race with an 82-67 victory over Penn State on Thursday night. Payne hadnt played since Jan. 7 because of a sprained foot, but although he didnt start Thursday, he did play 18 minutes, going 5 of 9 from the field. "It felt good to be back on the court," Payne said. "Overall, Im satisfied." The Spartans (20-3, 9-1 Big Ten) were still nowhere near full strength. Appling, who has been dealing with a wrist problem, sat out, and Branden Dawson is still out with a broken hand. Izzo said he has no idea if Appling will be ready for Sundays game at Wisconsin. "It just has been getting worse and worse," Izzo said. "He falls a lot. I told him hes got to go to gymnastics class -- learn how to fall without landing on your wrist. ... I know this, out of every guy Ive got on my team, hes the toughest. If he can play, hell play." Kenny Kaminski scored a career-high 19 points for the Spartans. Tim Frazier scored 22 points for Penn State (12-11, 3-7), which had its three-game winning streak snapped. Despite all of its injury woes, Michigan State is tied for first with rival Michigan atop the Big Ten. Everyone else in the conference is at least three games back. Payne missed Michigan States loss to Michigan late last month, and the crowd gave him a nice ovation when he repported to the scorers table to check in for the first time Thursday.dddddddddddd Payne entered with 16:21 left in the first half and made his first shot, from just inside the three-point line. "It was like Willis Reed coming off the bench," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said referring to the New York Knicks captains dramatic playoff appearance in 1970. "The crowd was going crazy -- standing ovation." Payne was active throughout the first half but also seemed tired at times. Perhaps that was to be expected after he was out for about a month. The Spartans went on an 11-0 run to take a 22-8 lead. A three-pointer by Kaminski made it 35-16, and the Nittany Lions never threatened. Matt Costello capped the first half with a dunk while being fouled with 12 seconds left. His three-point play gave Michigan State a 46-30 lead. It was 61-44 after Kaminskis 3-pointer from near the top of the key banked in off the glass, and a 3-pointer by Gary Harris pushed the lead to 20. Kaminski went 7 of 9 from the field, 5 of 6 from three-point range. That enabled the Spartans to withstand Applings absence and 5-for-16 shooting by Harris. Denzel Valentine had a big game for Michigan State with 11 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals. "Early in the game he was, I guess Id say out of control there," Izzo said. "We took him out and settled him down a little bit, and then I thought he played phenomenal." Michigan State has won 20 games for the 14th time in the last 17 seasons. Frazier needed two assists to set Penn States career record, but he only managed one, tying the mark of 600 by Freddie Barnes. Frazier went 9 of 14 from the field and 3 for 4 from three-point range. The rest of the team was 2 for 18 from beyond the arc. Penn States D.J. Newbill scored 17 points but missed all seven of his attempts from 3-point range. 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