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View Full Version : Belmont Park is the Premier Track in North America


Bigadam119
06-09-2015, 11:56 AM
Saratoga has all the mystique, Santa Anita has more G1s, but in my opinion Belmont is the premier track when it comes to a racing product.

nads1420
06-09-2015, 12:01 PM
no

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 12:03 PM
Saratoga has all the mystique, Santa Anita has more G1s, but in my opinion Belmont is the premier track when it comes to a racing product.


SPA is # 1 and Belmont is #2 missing by a nostril, the rest are way behind

Bigadam119
06-09-2015, 12:06 PM
SPA is # 1 and Belmont is #2 missing by a nostril, the rest are way behind

One of my favorite races at the SPA is the Alabama. Sort of like the Belmont for Fillies.

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 12:09 PM
One of my favorite races at the SPA is the Alabama. Sort of like the Belmont for Fillies.


SPA IS THE BEST... I have never found anything close to the SPA meeting...

I would prefer it to stay shorter though... Trying to inflate the duration of the meet, clearly hurts its quality..

pele polo
06-09-2015, 09:30 PM
One of my favorite races at the SPA is the Alabama. Sort of like the Belmont for Fillies.

The Coaching Club American Oaks was 1 1/2 miles not long ago, then shortened to 1 1/4 miles and then most recently 9f.

I find it very odd that Saratoga has 2 G1 dirt races for fillies and mares at the classic distance but not a single one for older horses.

Bigadam119
06-09-2015, 10:02 PM
The Coaching Club American Oaks was 1 1/2 miles not long ago, then shortened to 1 1/4 miles and then most recently 9f.

I find it very odd that Saratoga has 2 G1 dirt races for fillies and mares at the classic distance but not a single one for older horses.

Weren't both the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Woodward at Belmont before?

Leparoux
06-09-2015, 10:20 PM
Only New Yorkers think this. SPA is great, Belmont kind of a dump.

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 10:23 PM
Only New Yorkers think this. SPA is great, Belmont kind of a dump.

Belmont is where the bulk of the history of the game had been written and of course is the Mecca of horse betting...

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 10:49 PM
Belmont is where the bulk of the history of the game had been written and of course is the Mecca of horse betting...

I wish NYRA would just screw the Breeders Cup and go back to what they had for many decades: The Fall Championship Meet or in Panza's way of doing things, do it all on 1 or 2 days.

Take some slot money and make it worth more than the B.C. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Would it hurt the game, yes. But I just can't help but remember yesteryear.

The JCGC meant something. Now it's a 'prep' for the BC. Makes me sick.

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 10:58 PM
I wish NYRA would just screw the Breeders Cup and go back to what they had for many decades: The Fall Championship Meet or in Panza's way of doing things, do it all on 1 or 2 days.

Take some slot money and make it worth more than the B.C. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Would it hurt the game, yes. But I just can't help but remember yesteryear.

The JCGC meant something. Now it's a 'prep' for the BC. Makes me sick.

I think NYRA is not doing so bad after all.. I know that we are always keep ranting about how good the old good times were, but this is what it is and frankly is not that bad.. Of course there is a lot of room of improvement but I do not think I would ever feel as comfortable as I do in AQU and BEL in any other track in the nation...

ReplayRandall
06-09-2015, 11:00 PM
I think NYRA is not doing so bad after all.. I know that we are always keep ranting about how good the old good times were, but this is what it is and frankly is not that bad.. Of course there is a lot of room of improvement but I do not think I would ever feel as comfortable as I do in AQU and BEL in any other track in the nation...
Delta, it's obvious to me that you've never spent any time at DEL MAR... :cool:

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 11:01 PM
I think NYRA is not doing so bad after all.. I know that we are always keep ranting about how good the old good times were, but this is what it is and frankly is not that bad.. Of course there is a lot of room of improvement but I do not think I would ever feel as comfortable as I do in AQU and BEL in any other track in the nation...

I was kidding about doing that. Only said it because Repole hinted at it a couple of years back.

To me Belmont is the premier track for actual horse racing. The sweeping turns on all 3 courses make it the most conducive to crowning legitimate champions. If it wasn't for lights, politics and agendas, the BC should be at Belmont every year. I wouldn't ship my stalker or closer to SA. For what? To have no shot despite being best.

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 11:04 PM
Delta, it's obvious to me that you've never spent any time at DEL MAR... :cool:

This is absolutely correct :)

ReplayRandall
06-09-2015, 11:06 PM
This is absolutely correct :)
Put it on your bucket list NOW.....

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 11:08 PM
Put it on your bucket list NOW.....

Come on Delta, let's go. We'll do a DEL MAR Emerald Downs weekend LOL.

Ill drive!

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 11:08 PM
Put it on your bucket list NOW.....

A summer visit to San Diego has always been it in the back of my mind :ThmbUp:

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 11:10 PM
Come on Delta, let's go. We'll do a DEL MAR Emerald Downs weekend LOL.

Ill drive!

Why not? Note that you need to hit a juicy P6 before we hit the road so we get there loaded :cool:

ReplayRandall
06-09-2015, 11:10 PM
Come on Delta, let's go. We'll do a DEL MAR Emerald Downs weekend LOL.

Ill drive!
Swing by Charlotte first and pick me up, would ya?... :ThmbUp:

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 11:12 PM
Why not? Note that you need to hit a juicy P6 before we hit the road so we get there loaded :cool:

HA HA HA Deal buddy.

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 11:13 PM
Swing by Charlotte first and pick me up, would ya?... :ThmbUp:

Of COURSE! I've driven to Charlotte dozens of times. I go west on 78 to Penn National. Swing down 75 minutes to Charles Town. Take a nap, drive through the Chesepeake Valley and hit charlotte in no time. Be my pleasure!

Could we stop at Prairie Meadows and or Remington on the way???

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 11:14 PM
Swing by Charlotte first and pick me up, would ya?... :ThmbUp:

Is it in our way ???

ReplayRandall
06-09-2015, 11:24 PM
Is it in our way ???
Tell me when you think you'll get to OKC, I'll fly in and meet you there at Remington.....Then we'll all ride onward via I-40 to the West Coast.

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 11:25 PM
Is it in our way ???

No but who cares??? You can bet while i drive. We can take the internet everywhere my friend. When I drove to my aunt's funeral in 2012 to Charlotte, I distracted my dad by showing him the SPA feed on my cell phone.

God I love unlimited DATA. He made fake bets (we had the program picked up from a local newstand) and argued over who will win .

Made a terrible situation a bit better.

DeltaLover
06-09-2015, 11:30 PM
Tell me when you think you'll get to OKC, I'll fly in and meet you there at Remington.....Then we'll all ride onward via I-40 to the West Coast.

Its emrd who drives, I will only be preaching about the greatness of AP all the way to CA

EMD4ME
06-09-2015, 11:42 PM
Its emrd who drives, I will only be preaching about the greatness of AP all the way to CA

EAR PLUGS FOR ME :D :D :D :D :D :D

elhelmete
06-10-2015, 11:49 AM
Put it on your bucket list NOW.....

SoCal player here...

Santa Anita is by far the most physically comfortable place for me to attend the races. By far.

Del Mar is wonderful in its own way, but physical comfort isn't necessarily top 2 or 3 reasons. IMHO of course. I will say that the November meet there this past year was, for me, a more satisfying experience than the summer meet. Both still bucket-list worthy.

arw629
06-10-2015, 12:13 PM
Is it in our way ???

Prairie Meadows is just off I-80 if you take that route out west....

I had to go to Des Moines for work once and actually stayed 20 minutes from the track....I was only in town for one night and made it to the track, but it was a non-race day...Prm is in the middle of nowhere but an easy stop if that's your route

Rex Phinney
06-10-2015, 01:02 PM
This question comes down to what the criteria is.

History wise, Belmont has a ton of it for sure.

Modern day facilities wise, Belmont probably misses even being in the top 5.

Popularity, attendance and "buzzworthyness", SPA and Del Mar are in a league of their own.

Santa Anita would be my choice for best facility.

Churchill falls behind in almost all categories, but if your criteria is a single big race day, just one shot on the calender, it's hard to top Derby day.

Bigadam119
06-10-2015, 01:15 PM
This question comes down to what the criteria is.

History wise, Belmont has a ton of it for sure.

Modern day facilities wise, Belmont probably misses even being in the top 5.

Popularity, attendance and "buzzworthyness", SPA and Del Mar are in a league of their own.

Santa Anita would be my choice for best facility.

Churchill falls behind in almost all categories, but if your criteria is a single big race day, just one shot on the calender, it's hard to top Derby day.

I think I'd define it as the quality of the horses that race there. Belmont has around 17 G1 races and that's after two were more to Saratoga. All of the best horses seem to run at Belmont at some time in their career.

gheuks
06-10-2015, 01:29 PM
The CCAO and Woodward were both run at Belmont. Shifted to Saratoga maybe 10 years ago

PaceAdvantage
06-10-2015, 01:36 PM
I miss the Woodward being at Belmont.

Holy Bull's Woodward in 1994 was the single greatest live race I've ever experienced...I still remember the goosebumps as he roared down the stretch, beating the best field assembled for that year...huge crowd that day and the grandstand ROCKED and ROLLED...

Ya'll are going to think I'm nuts, but having attended AP's Triple Crown coronation last Saturday...if I had a choice which race I'd rather relive, I'd pick Holy Bull's Woodward.

JustRalph
06-10-2015, 01:43 PM
The Thread starter said "racing product" not facility.

Facility wise, Del Mar is very nice.

jahura2
06-10-2015, 03:25 PM
Saratoga has all the mystique, Santa Anita has more G1s, but in my opinion Belmont is the premier track when it comes to a racing product.

If you're talking about racing product I will have to defend my hometown track, Keeneland now that it has gone back to conventional dirt. Keeneland puts out cards that represent all levels of racing. As far as takeout it beats or is competitive with all of the tracks previously mentioned. It has a fantastic turf course and is equally pleasing to the eye as the big boys.(facility)
I dream of going to the other big 3 and will get around to it eventually but I do have a pretty good product here in central Ky.

EMD4ME
06-10-2015, 03:46 PM
I miss the Woodward being at Belmont.

Holy Bull's Woodward in 1994 was the single greatest live race I've ever experienced...I still remember the goosebumps as he roared down the stretch, beating the best field assembled for that year...huge crowd that day and the grandstand ROCKED and ROLLED...

Ya'll are going to think I'm nuts, but having attended AP's Triple Crown coronation last Saturday...if I had a choice which race I'd rather relive, I'd pick Holy Bull's Woodward.


I don't think your nuts. I remember Holy Bull causing quite a buzz where I sat (third floor grandstand near the finish line) and I'll never forget the roar of the crowd for Cigar in 1995. It seemed like the place was shaking.

Maybe that's because there are more real fans out to see those horses in non TC or BC events? Maybe the once or twice a year fans are not that vibrant when at the track? I don't know. I can only compare that energy and loudness to when Smarty Jones came home in 2004. I really thought the place was going to crack and fall apart.

Grits
06-10-2015, 04:15 PM
Only New Yorkers think this. SPA is great, Belmont kind of a dump.

This is a woefully misinformed conclusion.

How much time have you spent there?

PaceAdvantage
06-10-2015, 05:15 PM
I don't think your nuts. I remember Holy Bull causing quite a buzz where I sat (third floor grandstand near the finish line) and I'll never forget the roar of the crowd for Cigar in 1995. It seemed like the place was shaking.

Maybe that's because there are more real fans out to see those horses in non TC or BC events? Maybe the once or twice a year fans are not that vibrant when at the track? I don't know. I can only compare that energy and loudness to when Smarty Jones came home in 2004. I really thought the place was going to crack and fall apart.it's really weird...I sit here and I honestly can't remember how loud the crowd was on Saturday...it just didn't strike me like it did with Holy Bull or some of the other Triple Crown almost wins, like Smarty Jones as you pointed out...

I was jumping around and cheering like a fool just like everyone else, but I don't remember thinking how awesome or how crazy loud the fans were, or if the grandstand was shaking...I don't remember the grandstand shaking...maybe because I was all the way down in section 3Y...lol

I feel kind of bummed that I can't recall the awesomeness of the crowd during Saturday's stretch run...freakin' weird... :lol:

Grits
06-10-2015, 05:50 PM
PA, it's much harder to shake steel and concrete. Had it been Saratoga, we'd still be buried somewhere under the collapse of the entire structure, roof and all. It was, indeed, L.O.U.D. Even moreso, where I was, on the second floor The lower ceiling..the roof contains the noise level.

Bigadam119
06-10-2015, 06:22 PM
If you're talking about racing product I will have to defend my hometown track, Keeneland now that it has gone back to conventional dirt. Keeneland puts out cards that represent all levels of racing. As far as takeout it beats or is competitive with all of the tracks previously mentioned. It has a fantastic turf course and is equally pleasing to the eye as the big boys.(facility)
I dream of going to the other big 3 and will get around to it eventually but I do have a pretty good product here in central Ky.

Since Keeneland has switched back to dirt they have attracted top quality horses. Their spring meet crushed the Big A's main track meet.

Rex Phinney
06-10-2015, 07:20 PM
IMO Kenneland and Del Mar going back to dirt greatly changes the racing landscape in America. For nearly a decade certain tracks have been written off by large parts of handicappers/ horsemen due to synthetics. No more.

Rex Phinney
06-10-2015, 07:29 PM
it's really weird...I sit here and I honestly can't remember how loud the crowd was on Saturday...it just didn't strike me like it did with Holy Bull or some of the other Triple Crown almost wins, like Smarty Jones as you pointed out...

I was jumping around and cheering like a fool just like everyone else, but I don't remember thinking how awesome or how crazy loud the fans were, or if the grandstand was shaking...I don't remember the grandstand shaking...maybe because I was all the way down in section 3Y...lol

I feel kind of bummed that I can't recall the awesomeness of the crowd during Saturday's stretch run...freakin' weird... :lol:

I think there is something to the "true racing fan" angle.

I've always felt the roar from the the crowd at the BC Classic is the greatest I've ever felt. Even if the attendance pales in comparison to that of the Derby or TC Belmont day, the anticipation from the fans that know what it means is like no other.

I'll never in a million years forget the tension in the air when Fort Larned (Yes Fort Larned) held off Mucho Macho Man. The 70 something little old lady next to me from Lousiana looking up at me while coming out of her seat as they hit the stretch and WIDE EYED asking "O my god, can you believe this finish?" You cannot replicate the way she said it with any college kid or once a year racing fan.

Strike The Gold
06-10-2015, 08:20 PM
I think there's also a distinction between the marquee meets and the tracks that run year round. The Spa, Keenland and Delmar pack in high quality races over shorter time spans but to me, Santa Anita is up there in terms of quality racing and I think has larger fields than we do in NY now. Also agree that Belmont in the Fall is not what it used to be and Aqueduct is just depressing. In terms of beauty, I've never been to Del Mar but I did get to Santa Anita back in 2012 and although it was like a cold, rainy Fall day in NY, I thought the setting was beautiful with the San Gabriel mountains in the background with the palm trees reaching for the sky. also like Trevor's race calls :)

OTM Al
06-10-2015, 08:38 PM
it's really weird...I sit here and I honestly can't remember how loud the crowd was on Saturday...it just didn't strike me like it did with Holy Bull or some of the other Triple Crown almost wins, like Smarty Jones as you pointed out...

I was jumping around and cheering like a fool just like everyone else, but I don't remember thinking how awesome or how crazy loud the fans were, or if the grandstand was shaking...I don't remember the grandstand shaking...maybe because I was all the way down in section 3Y...lol

I feel kind of bummed that I can't recall the awesomeness of the crowd during Saturday's stretch run...freakin' weird... :lol:
Last year I was lucky enough to watch the Belmont from the winner's circle. The sound was amazing. The gigantic roar as they started that you could feel and then the ooh and aah effect like waves crashing on a beach as he moved back and forth between third and fourth. This year I was down there but couldn't stay and was behind the crowd on the third floor by the time the race went. You could hear them but it was oddly quiet as the sound was directed away from me, or maybe it was because the bartender and I were both yelling at the TV screen :)

tubesockshakur
06-10-2015, 09:09 PM
I miss the Woodward being at Belmont.

Holy Bull's Woodward in 1994 was the single greatest live race I've ever experienced...I still remember the goosebumps as he roared down the stretch, beating the best field assembled for that year...huge crowd that day and the grandstand ROCKED and ROLLED...

Ya'll are going to think I'm nuts, but having attended AP's Triple Crown coronation last Saturday...if I had a choice which race I'd rather relive, I'd pick Holy Bull's Woodward. agree, my favorite was the 1988 where Alysheba had to set a track record to defeat the 3 year old forty niner

alhattab
06-10-2015, 10:12 PM
it's really weird...I sit here and I honestly can't remember how loud the crowd was on Saturday...it just didn't strike me like it did with Holy Bull or some of the other Triple Crown almost wins, like Smarty Jones as you pointed out...

I was jumping around and cheering like a fool just like everyone else, but I don't remember thinking how awesome or how crazy loud the fans were, or if the grandstand was shaking...I don't remember the grandstand shaking...maybe because I was all the way down in section 3Y...lol

I feel kind of bummed that I can't recall the awesomeness of the crowd during Saturday's stretch run...freakin' weird... :lol:

I wasn't at Belmont Saturday, but I have been there on some major days. Smarty Jones' Belmont was incredible for the sheer contrast of the roar at the top of the stretch to the hear-a-pin-drop silence at the finish. But the days when the place was filled with true racing fans being there cheering were the best. Hell a buddy and I went out for a few tonight- before I read this thread- and I was talking about how the Belmont grandstand shook during Sultry Songs (I think) 1992 (again, I think) JCGC. The 1994 Met and Woodward were the same way. Skip Away beating Cigar in 1996 too. Belmont on a big stakes day in the mid-1990s when they would pull 15-20k was incredibly special in my view. A privilege to be there. It was awesome in so many ways.

EMD4ME
06-10-2015, 11:50 PM
it's really weird...I sit here and I honestly can't remember how loud the crowd was on Saturday...it just didn't strike me like it did with Holy Bull or some of the other Triple Crown almost wins, like Smarty Jones as you pointed out...

I was jumping around and cheering like a fool just like everyone else, but I don't remember thinking how awesome or how crazy loud the fans were, or if the grandstand was shaking...I don't remember the grandstand shaking...maybe because I was all the way down in section 3Y...lol

I feel kind of bummed that I can't recall the awesomeness of the crowd during Saturday's stretch run...freakin' weird... :lol:

Well,I can't intelligently reply as it's the first belmont I missed in years. The Smarty Jones stretch run was amazing. All that sticks out to me is: i remember screaming to my girlfriend at the 1/4 pole "He might do it" (I was watching live and didn't have the time or focus to see the internal fractions, trips etc.). Forget her hearing me, I COULDNT HEAR ME. I remember Durkin's call (after the fact-AND SMARTY JONES ENTERS THE STRETCH TO A ROAR OF 120,000!!!!!!!!!)

He was NOT Exaggerating. That was a never ending roar, till "Birdstone surges past, BIRDSTONE WINS the Belmont Stakes. Smarty Jones was a VALIANT second, Royal Assualt came on to be third."

I will never forget that crowd.....Once in a lifetime.

EMD4ME
06-10-2015, 11:52 PM
I wasn't at Belmont Saturday, but I have been there on some major days. Smarty Jones' Belmont was incredible for the sheer contrast of the roar at the top of the stretch to the hear-a-pin-drop silence at the finish. But the days when the place was filled with true racing fans being there cheering were the best. Hell a buddy and I went out for a few tonight- before I read this thread- and I was talking about how the Belmont grandstand shook during Sultry Songs (I think) 1992 (again, I think) JCGC. The 1994 Met and Woodward were the same way. Skip Away beating Cigar in 1996 too. Belmont on a big stakes day in the mid-1990s when they would pull 15-20k was incredibly special in my view. A privilege to be there. It was awesome in so many ways.

So TRUE!!!!

So very true!!!

I miss those days, badly.

ReplayRandall
06-10-2015, 11:58 PM
Well,I can't intelligently reply as it's the first belmont I missed in years. The Smarty Jones stretch run was amazing. All that sticks out to me is: i remember screaming to my girlfriend at the 1/4 pole "He might do it" (I was watching live and didn't have the time or focus to see the internal fractions, trips etc.). Forget her hearing me, I COULDNT HEAR ME. I remember Durkin's call (after the fact-AND SMARTY JONES ENTERS THE STRETCH TO A ROAR OF 120,000!!!!!!!!!)

He was NOT Exaggerating. That was a never ending roar, till "Birdstone surges past, BIRDSTONE WINS the Belmont Stakes. Smarty Jones was a VALIANT second, Royal Assualt came on to be third."

I will never forget that crowd.....Once in a lifetime.
You hit the nail on the head.....Smarty Jones was the blue-collared PEOPLE'S horse versus the white-collared 1% rich-man's horse. The heartfelt emotional pull was over the top for Smarty Jones, not as much with American Pharoah.......

EMD4ME
06-11-2015, 12:16 AM
You hit the nail on the head.....Smarty Jones was the blue-collared PEOPLE'S horse versus the white-collared 1% rich-man's horse. The heartfelt emotional pull was over the top for Smarty Jones, not as much with American Pharoah.......

That's a different conversation LOL. Be careful, you might not want to agree with me on here. I've had enough of some people and I am no longer wearing gloves. I am sure I am on many people's S list and I Don't want you on the S list too due to association.

I will not go down the route of demeaning AP and his impact on the crowd. I was not there this year, sadly and can't remark.

However, Smarty Jones was to be admired. The blue collar PA bred was loveable, at least to me. In retrospect, I have so much more respect for him and his races. That crowd was ONCE in a lifetime. Not a generation BUT a lifetime.

RacingFan1992
06-11-2015, 01:46 AM
I want them to bring back the Filly Triple Crown and Handicap Triple Crown.

Acorn-1 Mile
Mother Goose-1 1/8
Coaching Club American Oaks-1 1/2

Met Mile
Brooklyn-1 1/2
Suburban 1 1/8

They should advertise these series. I hate that they moved the CCAO to Saratoga and shortened it. I don't care if it is a good prep to the Alabama. I want to see more races that are 1 1/2 to 2 miles.

Redbullsnation
06-11-2015, 02:18 AM
For me it goes like this
1) Belmont
2) Spa
3) SA
4) DelMar
5) CD

appistappis
06-11-2015, 02:37 AM
the best is anywhere where there are full fields. I'll take 12 horse maidens at Indiana downs over continuous 5 and 6 horse horror shows at "the good tracks"

BlueChip@DRF
06-11-2015, 08:58 AM
Belmont is my home track. I like the turf races there. A Frankel import was an automatic bet. Beat Hollow, Aldebaran, Starine and Banks Hill come to mind. The dirt is usually fair unless it's super hot & humid (speed) or muddy/sloppy (crapshoot). But I will now only play the middle races because bombs usually hit in that specific bracket.

I did way better betting Santa Anita (pre-AW). Krone on a closer was my automatic bet. Since it went to AW and now back to dirt, it will never be the same.

Robert Goren
06-11-2015, 10:14 AM
What is really sad is that Belmont is probably the best track out there right now. It shows how far racing has slipped in the last 50 years. Today's Belmont track would have a hard time measuring up to a third tier 1960s track like Aksarben. Sportsman Park or Detroit Race track. Its only saving grace would be its turf courses. But comparing the bettability of the dirt races, 1960s tracks would win hands down. Even condition of the track's facilities would favor the 1960s tracks from what hear from people who been to Belmont recently. Note, I deliberately picked 3 tracks that no longer exist. But then Belmont might not exist either if it had not gotten Casino money when it did.
It should be pointed out though that you go broke faster betting NYRA shippers to S. Cal. than you will betting S. Cal. shippers to NYRA tracks. For what ever that is worth.

Leparoux
06-11-2015, 12:07 PM
This is a woefully misinformed conclusion.

How much time have you spent there?
Last time was 2012 Belmont. Strictly speaking about the facilities, it was unimpressive.

PaceAdvantage
06-11-2015, 12:16 PM
Last year I was lucky enough to watch the Belmont from the winner's circle. The sound was amazing. The gigantic roar as they started that you could feel and then the ooh and aah effect like waves crashing on a beach as he moved back and forth between third and fourth. This year I was down there but couldn't stay and was behind the crowd on the third floor by the time the race went. You could hear them but it was oddly quiet as the sound was directed away from me, or maybe it was because the bartender and I were both yelling at the TV screen :)I don't want anyone to get me wrong. I'm sure crowd was just as thundering and impressive noise-wise (maybe more so) than some of the other recollections here...Smarty Jones etc...

It's just that my brain, for some reason, isn't registering it like I thought it would...this was a Triple Crown win for crying out loud...how could it NOT have been the most impressive experience crowd-wise of my entire live race-watching career? But sadly, for me, it's not there.

Perhaps I'm going insane...lol

This was also the first Triple Crown possibility where I did NOT buy any $2 souvenir tickets...LMFAO

Yes, I guess I am going insane.

I do have a bunch of programs though...two different covers (I hear there were three covers printed...is that right?)

I also have what I consider to be a bit of a minor coup...I was able to get a copy of the Belmont Stakes-day pocket program...which has a special cover on it (matches one of the big program covers). This pocket program was not sold to the public, but was printed to be given away for free to horsemen, front office, etc. etc. So that alone makes it a bit of a rarity as far as 2015 Triple Crown memorabilia goes...

PaceAdvantage
06-11-2015, 12:18 PM
Last time was 2012 Belmont. Strictly speaking about the facilities, it was unimpressive.Sheer size and scope is impressive...plus they have made improvements over the years.

The backyard is HUGE and provides a nice park-like setting....

Is it a modern day facility with all the newest amenities and technological benefits? No...but it's a helluva a great place to spend a day at the races.

And you get all that history to boot...

DeltaLover
06-11-2015, 12:44 PM
But then Belmont might not exist either if it had not gotten Casino money when it did.

WOW!

This is what I call a BOLD statement

biggestal99
06-11-2015, 07:05 PM
Since Keeneland has switched back to dirt they have attracted top quality horses. Their spring meet crushed the Big A's main track meet.

Too bad they had lots of short off the turf fields that really impacted handle negatively.

Allan

biggestal99
06-11-2015, 07:07 PM
IMO Kenneland and Del Mar going back to dirt greatly changes the racing landscape in America. For nearly a decade certain tracks have been written off by large parts of handicappers/ horsemen due to synthetics. No more.

Horsemen did not support the keeneland spring meet nor did bettors.

Field sizes and handle were wayyyyyyy down.

Allan

taxicab
06-11-2015, 08:08 PM
Horsemen did not support the keeneland spring meet nor did bettors.

Field sizes and handle were wayyyyyyy down.

Allan


So true.
This one really surprised me,Synthetic Keenland was perhaps the best meet(s)of the year.
Dirt Keenland fell behind Saratoga/Belmont/Del Mar/Gulfstream.
I never saw it coming.

thespaah
06-11-2015, 09:16 PM
The Coaching Club American Oaks was 1 1/2 miles not long ago, then shortened to 1 1/4 miles and then most recently 9f.

I find it very odd that Saratoga has 2 G1 dirt races for fillies and mares at the classic distance but not a single one for older horses.
THe Saratoga meet has always been a showcase for younger horses...
BTW, The Whitney is at 9f....Not a classic distance(10f I presume is considered 'classic') but a classic event none the less.
The Alabama for 3yo fillies is 10f....That's the only 'classic distance race' for fillies at the meet.
Belmont has the JCGC for older horses.
The Spring Summer meet has the Brooklyn at 12f for 3 and up....As well as the Suburban at 10f for 3 and up....
Save for turf stakes, most other tracks do not contest any graded events past 9f....

thespaah
06-11-2015, 09:42 PM
Weren't both the Coaching Club American Oaks and the Woodward at Belmont before?
Yes..The CCAO was part of what once was called the Triple Tiara...
The Acorn at a mile. The Mother Goose at 1 1/8th and the CCAO at 1 1/2 miles
The Woodward once at 1 1/4 miles was the first of the Belmont Fall Triple Classic( I think it was 'classic') Then the Marlboro Cup at 1 1/8th miles then the JCGC which up until the mid 90's was at 12 f then shortened to 10f
When the anti tobacco nazis at the federal level decided tobacco companies could no longer sponsor sporting events, the Marlboro Cup was cancelled and the NYRA Mile added to AQU's fall schedule.
The Woodward was moved to the last week of the Saratoga meet a few years ago. It is now a prep for the Breeders Cup....
At this point everything from mid August onward is a prep for the BC......
Edit.....I took a peek at the history of the Woodward. The distance of this race has bounced around quite a bit.
It's been a 9f event for some time now.
In fact Easy Goer won it in 1989 at 10f...The last year the Woodward was contested at that distance.