In the state where he was bred, at a place where he ate and slept and on a track where he trained every morning and had never lost in the afternoon, Funny Cide found himself too far from home.

Last Saturday, when it wasn't raining, it was raining harder. Still, he helped fill Belmont Park so that it overflowed as much with people as it did with water. Almost all of them were there to get a glimpse of him in person and be part of his bid to win thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown. With all that company, in the middle of the far turn and before reaching the top of the long stretch, he was somehow alone and without help. His rival, Empire Maker, became spoiler and villain.

The excitement that preceded this year's Belmont Stakes had its genesis on the edges of Floral Park, where the village borders Belmont Park. A few days before the Kentucky Derby, Funny Cide, not unknown but not highly regarded, left his home there for Kentucky. When he returned the Derby winner, attention was cautiously focused here.

Only the Derby winner can win the Triple Crown, but that is a lot to hope for, especially from a horse whose name was not on every racing fan's lips before the Derby. Two weeks later, when he accomplished the same result in the Preakness in Baltimore, the attention became more focused and anticipation grew. The focus on New York, where he was bred, and especially Belmont Park, where he trains and where his trainer and jockey spend most of their time, became more acute as all people who like a good story were attracted to it.

Funny Cide is the kind of character that draws people in. Underdog and relatively unknown, from an unfashionable background, he is associated with well-respected people whose quality, dedication and work excellence seem to exceed their rewards. He had no real rival before the Derby, but there he beat Empire Maker, the only horse in that race that was seriously considered a possible Triple Crown winner.

When he won again in Baltimore, there seemed to be a feeling, at least in Empire Maker's camp, that he had won two races that belonged to them. The rivalry was on. Meanwhile, Empire Maker, who rested rather than ran in the Preakness, lay in wait. Now he was coming back to avenge himself and those people who thought so much of him, and he was doing it in Funny Cide's hometown and on Funny Cide's home track.

As race day approached, all reports of Empire Maker's and Funny Cide's training indicated that they were as fit as they had ever been. There was every reason to be excited about this race. Locally, special plans were being made to handle the expected record crowd that would pour in and out of Belmont. The Floral Park Chamber of Commerce joined in with a special luncheon two days before the race and a street fair on Tulip Avenue the night before that was packed with residents and friends from start to finish.

The rain that came on Saturday fit the outcome of the race. Relentless and daylong, it was the kind that wears you down. More than 100,000 fans, however, did not let it affect their enthusiasm until the moment of truth. They waited, some as long as 10 hours, enduring the discomfort to be part of the story.

Twenty-five minutes before the race, when Funny Cide, Empire Maker and four other horses entered the paddock, fans packed in, umbrellas up, to get a peek. Empire Maker had the cool and relaxed look of an athlete confident of his ability and chances. Funny Cide had the look of a horse that had been training faster than any other horse on the grounds. Head bowed and leaning on his bit, he wanted to do nothing but run.

For more than a mile, he did. Leading Empire Maker and jockey Jerry Bailey on a track that was more puddle than sand, everything seemed to be in place for the most anticipated outcome. Entering the far turn, a half-mile from the finish, Bailey made his move, pushing Empire Maker alongside Funny Cide and Jose Santos. For the first time in five weeks, Funny Cide had no sufficient response. Seemingly out of gas and with no help in sight, he ran well enough to finish third, clearly beaten. The real race, the one for the Triple Crown, was over by the time they reached the top of the stretch.

Empire Maker had one more matter to handle. Ten Most Wanted, ridden by Pat Day, charged at him through the stretch. When he got close enough to threaten, Empire Maker drew off again, showing why he was the Kentucky Derby favorite and a worthy winner of this year's Belmont Stakes. He is a villain who can run fast and long, and win without tricks or deception.

There is no real way to know what happened to Funny Cide, whether it was track conditions, training regimen, three difficult races in five weeks, a top class rival or some combination of these and other circumstances, that did him in. As his trainer, Barclay Tagg, mentioned, you can't talk to him. We do know that he is a worthy sports hero, the kind that is easy to root for, and the one that brought all this excited attention to our town.

This year's Belmont Stakes may be more beginning than end. The rivalry is now real, not just anticipated. The two horses have raced against each other three times and Empire Maker has won twice. Both Empire Maker and Funny Cide have their sights set on the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August. Between now and then, they are both likely to run in another race. They may meet again at Belmont in September and October.

In the meantime, both horses demonstrated again why the Triple Crown is one of the very most difficult accomplishments in sports and why the racetrack that sits on the edge of Floral Park is sometimes the focus of attention from around the world.