It doesn't matter what the cap is. It could be 50,000, but if nyra doesn't hire "real" ushers to keep people out of reserved seats their will be chaos like last year. In my section there were fistfights before the big race(one actually continued during the race) because squatters refused to move out of someone else's seat. I have been to every Belmont since Canonero, but I wasn't going to go this year because of last year's chaos, but changed my mind. I contacted nyra and asked if the usher and security situation was going to be addressed but of course, never received a response. Time will tell.

Been there did that, Freddy.....

We do have a real pizza place here now. Retired cop from Canarsie.

Now this question is no longer academic: What will they do? Literally turn people away?

The Derby had a record crowd of 170,000 plus this year. The preakness had another record of 131,680 - admittedly the infield partiers made up a good chunk of that.

How are they expecting to gracefully taper the expressed interest, even before we knew we had a triple crown try on the line, down to 90,000?

Judging from the most previous TC years, they'll be turning away somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000. Smarty Jones' year was an aberration because the horse was from a city less than 2 hours from NYC.

I initially thought it was NYRA being cheap and just not wanting to pay for the staff and things necessary to handle 100,000+ but now I think it's a smart move for overall attendance- every year more people will be more likely to buy a ticket to make sure they don't get shut out (I bought a reserved seat in April because last year was such a nightmare), and then, if the Derby winner loses the Preakness, they will still go to Belmont because they paid for the ticket. Union Rags' Belmont had 85,000, but only because I'll Have Another scratched the Friday before the race. If he'd not been entered, or scratched a week after the Preakness I imagine it would have been about 45,000-50,000.

I'll miss the 45,000 Belmonts, though.

(Note: Union Rags' Belmont was a lovely day of racing; I have no complaints)

yeah, it really is a smart move by belmont. and of the three races, it's the only one i'd go to-just because i don't like huge crows like what ky and md have each year.
they should have no issue selling out-and as you say, people who buy a ticket in advance will most likely still go. that's a cardinal rule in any event that you can pre-sell. and if they don't show, at least you got ticket money.

I think it would have made more sense to cap it by time, say
10 am for general admission. 90k? there are going to be
thousands who are furious

Send in the militia!!! . . . to let them in that is.:eek:

I don't understand what the issue is. I went to the website and $15 GA tickets are available. If I purchase one I'm in. Is anyone suggesting that I would be turned away holding a ticket purchased in advance?

one would think a pre-purchased GA ticket would/should count towards the overall head count, maybe Andy Serling can better answer this one.

but as mentioned, gates open at 8:30 AM, realistically how long will it take to fill the gap between and hit the cap?
first race is off at 11:30-11:45?
i say noon at the latest they'll reach capacity

-bt-

If you ever make an East Coast trip for racing, you could always come in the fall for Jockey Club Gold Cup day. That's probably my favorite Belmont date. Great racing without the Belmont Stakes bedlam.

I concur, but only after a trip to Saratoga, doesn't matter what weekend.

My intent is to hit bel close and toga open, or vice versa.

Some system will have to be in place. Turning people away at the gate AFTER they pay 30.00 for parking would not be too welcomed.

If the 90,000 total is sold before race day, (which might just be the case) its a moot point. Just like any other sporting event, if you don't have a ticket, you won't get in.

Brilliant! If you're walking.

I signed up for the Pan-American Racing Conference a couple weeks ago, which includes a ticket to the Belmont in a "special hospitality area". I'm not sure where that will be. But it also includes bus from the Grand Hyatt to the track and back.

More details below:

https://panamnyc2015.com/Default.asp?section=Schedule

Cheers,

Otis

Eh, five days and I hear rumor that New York City can be a fairly entertaining place to visit in the meantime. I think they have a couple of museums, or something like that. Theater maybe. I dunno.

Yea I remember a big park as well. Then there's that steak joint under the Brooklyn Bridge and some statue of a woman holding a torch.

I'd suggest she'd also hit a Broadway Musical on a Monday night. And everything in NYC is dirt cheap especially compared to those crazy Arkansas prices.

:D