Getting around Belmont weekend

[dellinger63]

we parked in one of those lots last time and won't do it again....... Friday was fine Saturday wasn't as it's one big funnel. Gen Admission is way to go. See you's in the paddock. Not sure if this year's Belmont can beat last year's but we'll see and I can't wait.

By the way, love the Bel logo this year using Rag's silks.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

we parked in one of those lots last time and won't do it again....... Friday was fine Saturday wasn't as it's one big funnel. Gen Admission is way to go. See you's in the paddock. Not sure if this year's Belmont can beat last year's but we'll see and I can't wait.

By the way, love the Bel logo this year using Rag's silks.

I'm pretty sure it'll beat last year's.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

I'm pretty sure it'll beat last year's.

Not if Tale of Ekati wins

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

Not if Tale of Ekati wins

1. He won't.
2. Even if he did, it'd be a hell of a time. The '04 Belmont still the most dramatic sporting event I've ever been to, even though Birdstone won.

[slotdirt]

I'm going to go with 1989 Princeton-Georgetown, but 2004 Belmont is pretty close.

[declansharbor]

1. He won't.
2. Even if he did, it'd be a hell of a time. The '04 Belmont still the most dramatic sporting event I've ever been to, even though Birdstone won.[/QUOTE]

Even though my heart sank into my groin area, I agree 100%.

With the final football game at the Vet (Phi/TB) coming in second. Both events ending in typical Philly fashion.

[NoLuvForPletch]

Originally Posted by declansharbor

1. He won't.
2. Even if he did, it'd be a hell of a time. The '04 Belmont still the most dramatic sporting event I've ever been to, even though Birdstone won.[/QUOTE]

Even though my heart sank into my groin area, I agree 100%.

With the final football game at the Vet (Phi/TB) coming in second. Both events ending in typical Philly fashion.

was it dramatic because he lost? i think it may have been one of the most anticlimactic events ever, with sj getting caught late the way he did, but i'm not sure i'd agree it was one of the most dramatic...

now the gtown-princeton game was both exciting and anticlimactic, therefore very dramatic, but i was not at that game.

the most exciting sporting event i've actually been at, taking all factors into consideration (how big of a fan i am of the horse/team, if i own the horse, if i bet on the horse/team, etc...) was probably the nyj/miami monday night game in 2000, when the jets scored 30 points in the 4th quarter to tie the dolphins and won it in overtime...now i say it was the most dramatic/exciting because even though i am a new yorker, i am a cowboys fan...but this game was something i will never, ever forget, and i had no real interest other than being there...

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by NoLuvForPletch

was it dramatic because he lost? i think it may have been one of the most anticlimactic events ever, with sj getting caught late the way he did, but i'm not sure i'd agree it was one of the most dramatic...

now the gtown-princeton game was both exciting and anticlimactic, therefore very dramatic, but i was not at that game.

the most exciting sporting event i've actually been at, taking all factors into consideration (how big of a fan i am of the horse/team, if i own the horse, if i bet on the horse/team, etc...) was probably the nyj/miami monday night game in 2000, when the jets scored 30 points in the 4th quarter to tie the dolphins and won it in overtime...now i say it was the most dramatic/exciting because even though i am a new yorker, i am a cowboys fan...but this game was something i will never, ever forget, and i had no real interest other than being there...

I found it to be dramatic for a few reasons. I was a relative newbie to the sport. Ive never witnessed a TC winner, let alone see one live. Smarty was a locally based horse who defeated all of his opponents to date with ease. He was thrown into a senseless speed duel that made the other ones wilt away and finish up the track. He was oh so close to the TC, and had a whole region so emotionally attached, the likes of which we will never again see around here. The whole experience culminated into that one stretch run. It made me a life long fan.

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by Cardus

You were one of the 30,000 to 35,000 Philly fans that day, right?

Yes. Most of my family was in attendance. I think Elmont is still recovering from us.

[pick4]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Still recovering? Tell me about it!

I still like to blame the Philly crowd for NYRA's policy forbidding people from bringing in their beer. Charlie Heyward told me a year later that NYRA had never had as many problems (fights) among the crowd than that year.

The day before the race, I was at Belmont. (I thought that a longshot filly won the Acorn that year.) Tom Hammond was rehearsing for the next day, and as I ascended the steps in the section over which the TV platform exists, I said to him that I had heard about all of the Philly people coming in for Smarty, and I was hoping that they weren't Eagles fans! He had a laugh.

It was a great day, though.

I went to the Belmont Stakes in 2002 and that was a huge mistake. I went with my father and we arrived at Belmont Park at 9:30 and did not have tickets. I'll never attend the Belmont again unless I have seats. But when we walked in the backyard, it was mobbed and looked like a boozefest. There were college kids downing beers like they were at a frat party. Anyway, by the first race the backyard was as crowded as could possibly be. It was a miserable day. Standing in line for twenty minutes to have a chance to get a bet in. I was shutout a few times.
I went up to the grandstand to watch War Emblem make his bid for the TC. After he lost I went back to meet up with my father and once I found him it was impossible to not notice the brawl going on in the area the same group of college kids were boozing it up at 9:30am. It looked like a cartoon fight. A huge cloud of dust and anything and everything imaginable flying up and out of the cloud of dust and people fighting. Eventually Nassau County police on horseback arrived to break up the fight.

After witnessing that I believe NYRA did the correct thing in banning BYOB. While it hurts the guy who can go to the track and can drink a few beers in a responsible way, the harm that a group of immature kids can cause is not worth it.