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Getting to Belmont is dead simple. Hop on the F Train and step off at 169th Street. While waiting for the N6 Bus, you can window shop the local establishments. Barbie's Hair World is conveniently located just blocks from Belmont Park and its unique clientele of bald, middle-aged, men.
Belmont Park really is a park. Walking through the front gates you are invited to enjoy a festival area with live band, picnic areas for families and drinking areas for groups of men with coolers.
In the distance you can see a group of party goers pointing at me. I hoped they would be mad enough to throw a beer but no dice.
The Belmont paddock is incredible with a semi-circle grandstand where the punters can watch the horses saddle up and get ready to race. The enclosure is green and well treed with a beautiful statue of a striding Secretariat.
The horses parade around the ring as punters take notes and ask for tips.
Through the trees you can make out the swarms of fans.
Turning 360 degrees, I survey the greenery...
and come face to face with Color Me Up. (More on her later.)
One of the great experiences at Belmont is watching the jockeys emerge from the tunnel to saddle up in the paddock in their brightly coloured silks amidst a backdrop of green ivy.
An old-school tote board keeps everyone apprised of the latest odds.
I'm a Woodbine local so it's been a long time since I've seen a wet track. Secretly I hoped it would rain so I could handicap a sloppy track. From my perspective in the grandstand, the track looked sloppy but was declared fast.
The thing about Belmont is that it's just an enormous racetrack. A gargantuan mile and a half oval with wide, sweeping turns. I pity the poor horse that tries taking the lead into the first turn in the Belmont Stakes.
I snapped this shot from the fourth floor press box.
Here's a shot taken from the finish line looking out at the top of the stretch. Doesn't it seem like a stretch run made for a late running Mine That Bird?
Richard Migliore steered Lonely Highway to victory in the first race. That's Ramon Dominguez and Incalzando moving up to complete the exactor...er..exacta.
Belmont Park is home to online journalists Brooklyn Backstretch and Ernie Munick. Here's a patriotic shot of Ernie and Teresa in the new Belmont picnic area.
Teresa is a huge fan of Easy Goer. I'm channeling Fonzie.
The seventh race was a turf allowance special featuring ten horses so I wandered across the deep sandy Belmont main track to watch from the rail. Cornelio Velazquez piloted Good Prospect to a late driving victory on the Widener turf course.
The feature race was the 34th running of the Shuvee and it featured a standout winner by the name of Seattle Smooth though the trip was rough to say the least. Jockey Ramon Dominguez needed every last inch of the stretch to nail 20-1 long shot Color Me Up at the wire.
Seattle Smooth lookin' good in the paddock.
Color Me Up walks the ring with confidence.
Striking Tomisue with Rajeeeeeeeeev Maragh in the irons.
Color Me Up strutting out to the track as the locals look for an edge.
Are We Dreamin had a nightmare of a race finishing last.
I was at the wire to snap a shot of Seattle Smooth nipping the win.
The smiling connections know they have a good filly in their hands. Note the short payouts on the tote board.
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I'll have more on this trip in future posts. If you're watching Woodbine this weekend, Saturday's feature is the Lady Angela Stakes where Chantal Sutherland and Sans Souci have been made the 7-2 morning line favourite.
On Sunday, Ian Black sends out Rahy's Attorney as the 9-5 favourite in the Connaught Cup going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. I also hope to have a little more news regarding Queen's Plate hopeful Southdale who earlier this week breezed four furlongs in 48 flat. To learn more about Southdale, check out my ongoing feature Path To The Queen's Plate - The Southdale Diaries
