Giddy up

Charles & I went to the Belmont Stakes Saturday. Another thing I've always talked about doing, but this was the first time I've actually gotten around to it. The park is only a 30 minute train ride from Penn Station on the Long Island Rail Road; admission is $5. Belmont has a huge track – 1 ½ miles long (the tracks for the other Triple Crown races are a lot shorter). There are actually 13 horse races during the day, and the Stakes is race #11. We arrived around 4:30 pm, and watched our first race from grass. But then we moved closer to the finish line for the next 2 races. I was really surprised we could get right up to the fence beside the track. There was only one row of people standing in front of us; we were so close to the track. I bet on imawildandcrazyguy, who did not place. But Charles bet on the winner Rags to Riches, so he won more than 5x his bet. This was also the first female horse to win the Stakes in 102 years. We were back in NYC by 7:30 pm.

Action during the 9th race.


Rags to Riches #7 and Curlin (this year’s Preakness winner) during their warm-up walk before the race. We were this close to track!


46,000 people on their feet.