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Originally Posted by slotdirt
I have said this before, but it bears repeating:
Just get there butt early, find your spot on the rail, and guard it with your life. Guaranteed to see some horse flesh.
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By butt early, he means before 9am...
I think the gates open at 830. Before the beer ban the place was a mob scene (in the park behind the track anyway) by 10-1030. Since they put the ban in place, there hasn't been an attempt at a triple crown, so we are really in uncharted water here. I remember the first year of the ban how empty the place was, and it really hasn't been crowded since 2004 (Smarty plus beer = 120,000+ people). There were only 61,000 in 2006 and 47,000 last year so you could've walked in after the Manhattan and found a place along the rail.
I still think the ban on beer will limit the total number of people going to Belmont that day, but the people going will be those who want to "see" the races and therefore viewing areas will be at a premium. I've heard some outlandish predictions on the attendance, but I'd be shocked if it got too far over 100K.