Walk Up Ticket For Belmont

[westcoastinvader]

I've made the Belmont in 1977, 1987, and 1989....all with the Triple Crown on the line. Yes, a few years ago, I know.

I walked up without a ticket each time, and had no difficulty.

For Slew in 1977, I was in college and we made it to the Elmont area from a Manhattan bar at about 3AM. Found a closed gas station in a quasi residential neighborhood and slept in the car there for a couple hours until the owner woke us up at about 5:30. Got in line at the track at 6AM, and literally were in the first group of five to go through the turnstile. Ended up with finish line seats in the grandstand.

And, after the fact, realized that Son of Sam had the area where we slept on his targeted ground zero for his 1977 killings...

For both Alysheba and Sunday Sillence I arrived between 9AM and 10AM, and still had no trouble at all parking in the general lot and getting in. I wasn't picky about the seats, as I knew I planned to roam.

For both Alysheba and Sunday Silence I staked out a place on the paddock rail about the 5th or 6th race, and ended up with great photos of the horses before they took the track.

If I were to offer a recommendation, it would be to make the focus objective of your Belmont day to get an unobstructed close up look of Big Brown in the paddock walk.

And a photo to prove you were there at the paddock at the time and on the day.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

I've made the Belmont in 1977, 1987, and 1989....all with the Triple Crown on the line. Yes, a few years ago, I know.

I walked up without a ticket each time, and had no difficulty.

For Slew in 1977, I was in college and we made it to the Elmont area from a Manhattan bar at about 3AM. Found a closed gas station in a quasi residential neighborhood and slept in the car there for a couple hours until the owner woke us up at about 5:30. Got in line at the track at 6AM, and literally were in the first group of five to go through the turnstile. Ended up with finish line seats in the grandstand.

And, after the fact, realized that Son of Sam had the area where we slept on his targeted ground zero for his 1977 killings...

Hell of a story man.

[westcoastinvader]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Hell of a story man.

Thanks.

:-)

Another true story is that I made my first Kentucky Derby in 1975, and loaded up on Master Derby (well, $20 across the board in my youth) as he ran 4th in the Foolish Pleasure year.

My most vivid memory of that day was seeing people I had gone into the infield with at about 8AM puking in Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets at 10AM from drunkenness.

THAT'S a helluva story, too!