Belmont Stakes questions.....

[Donnie]

Got a question or two for anyone who has attended the Belmont Stakes in the past.......

I won a tournament at PRM last weekend. Besides the cash prize, I won a free trip to the Belmont Stakes, June 7th. Airfare, lodging, and 2 tickets to the Belmont Stakes are included in the prize package.

We are being lodged at The Kimberly Hotel (www.kimberlyhotel.com) and were wondering what is in the immediate proximity of this hotel....how far away is Broadway, Central Park, Times Square, local OTB, etc.? What should we "not miss" while in NY? How far is the cab ride from downtown Manhattan to the track (hoping to not have to rent a car, since the hotel has pick up service from the airport)?

Our tickets to the track apparently are gonna be 2 box seats on the finish line. Aside from the crowds, what should we expect at the track? Is it easy to get around? How easy to get to the paddock?

Any insights anyone can give would be appreciated!

[MickJ26]

Got a question or two for anyone who has attended the Belmont Stakes in the past.......

I won a tournament at PRM last weekend. Besides the cash prize, I won a free trip to the Belmont Stakes, June 7th. Airfare, lodging, and 2 tickets to the Belmont Stakes are included in the prize package.

We are being lodged at The Kimberly Hotel (www.kimberlyhotel.com (http://www.kimberlyhotel.com/)) and were wondering what is in the immediate proximity of this hotel....how far away is Broadway, Central Park, Times Square, local OTB, etc.? What should we "not miss" while in NY? How far is the cab ride from downtown Manhattan to the track (hoping to not have to rent a car, since the hotel has pick up service from the airport)?

Our tickets to the track apparently are gonna be 2 box seats on the finish line. Aside from the crowds, what should we expect at the track? Is it easy to get around? How easy to get to the paddock?

Any insights anyone can give would be appreciated!




I'm not familiar with the hotel, but, if it's in Manhattan you're a short cab ride from all the points of interest you mentioned. As for Belmont, the best bet you'll make all day is to take LIRR from Penn Station. The train makes three stops (Woodside, Jamaica and the track). Penn Station is located at 7th and 8th avenues/33rd and 34th streets. The train leaves you about a two minute walk from the grandstand entrance. The backyard area is wall to wall people even in a non-Triple Crown year. Food is typical stadium type fare and outrageously expensive. Expect high prices for Nathan's hot dogs or Sbarro's pizza, so pack a lunch or expect to get an overpriced meal. Other than that, I go to the Belmont every year and win or lose always have a good time. Belmont is the greatest track on earth.

[Overlay]

Looks like if you zoom in on the map that the hotel's website features, it shows where most major Manhattan attractions are. Between subways, buses, cabs, and walking, nothing is really too far out of reach.

The hotel is on 50th Street between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue

Central Park is the big green rectangular area in the middle of Manhattan (between Central Park West and Fifth Avenue just north of 57th Street).

Broadway runs diagonally through Manhattan in a Northwest to Southeast direction. (It intersects the southwest corner of Central Park at 57th Street.)

Times Square is at the junction of 42nd Street, Broadway, and Seventh Avenue.

The Empire State Building is at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Manhattan OTB locations are available at this link: http://www.nycotb.com/newnycotb/Locations/tabid/55/Default.aspx?BoroughID=1

Fifth Avenue is the main north-south artery that divides "East" street addresses from "West" street addresses. Streets in midtown run east and west. Avenues run north and south. The street numbers get higher as you go from south to north. The numbered avenues get higher as you go from east to west.

The NYRA website features transportation information to Belmont. (http://www.nyra.com/Belmont/GeneralInformation/Directions/Directions.html) As I recall (this was thirty years ago by now) I used to take the Long Island Railroad train from Penn Station (located on the West Side on 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues).

[Kelso]

Looks like if you zoom in on the map that the hotel's website features, it shows where most major Manhattan attractions are. Between subways, buses, cabs, and walking, nothing is really too far out of reach.


Reaching way back on this one, but I think the typical city block is 1/8 mile long running north/south ... and perhaps a third shorter running east/west. From this, you might get an idea of walking distances from the hotel's map page.

[highnote]

Hey Don,

Congratulations! :cool:

If you remember, send me an email when you're in town. I'm in Manhattan a lot and will probably go to the Belmont. If it's convenient, maybe we can meet.

I won't be sitting in a box seat at the finish line, though. :(

Here's to hoping you have a great time! :ThmbUp:

John

[jhilden]

If taking the LIRR, bring some handicapping material for the afternoon and early evening simulcast races. Some years, especially if a TC contender is racing, the crowds can be heavy and you could wait up to three hours in line for the train ride back. I did not go last year so do not know what the train lines were like. When Smarty Jones was racing, the lines were the longest I’ve ever seen and I played for four hours before heading over to the station – and still had to wait in line for ½ hour. But, make sure you know when the last train is leaving. The Belmont station is off a spur and does not see regularly scheduled service; all Belmont trains are specials.

[highnote]

Good point about LIRR. It can be slow getting back to Manhattan.

If you have a winning day, maybe you want to spend the money to get a cab back to town. Plus the crowd can get pretty unruly.

One year my wife and I were waiting in line to get on the train back to Manhattan and two drunken morons got into a fist fight in front of us. My wife was 6 month's pregnant at the time. There wasn't much room to move because we were surrounded by people on our left and right sides about 10 people deep. I was very worried that one of the guys would knock my wife down or people would press too hard against her. It was scary, but we managed to move away.

I can see how people get crushed in big crowds at soccer matches or rock concerts.

[Cratos]

Got a question or two for anyone who has attended the Belmont Stakes in the past.......

I won a tournament at PRM last weekend. Besides the cash prize, I won a free trip to the Belmont Stakes, June 7th. Airfare, lodging, and 2 tickets to the Belmont Stakes are included in the prize package.

We are being lodged at The Kimberly Hotel (www.kimberlyhotel.com) and were wondering what is in the immediate proximity of this hotel....how far away is Broadway, Central Park, Times Square, local OTB, etc.? What should we "not miss" while in NY? How far is the cab ride from downtown Manhattan to the track (hoping to not have to rent a car, since the hotel has pick up service from the airport)?

Our tickets to the track apparently are gonna be 2 box seats on the finish line. Aside from the crowds, what should we expect at the track? Is it easy to get around? How easy to get to the paddock?

Any insights anyone can give would be appreciated!

Congratulations and if this is your first time at Belmont Park, the size of the track when you view it from high up in the stands (if you have that opportunity) might be unlike any other track that you have seen. However I hope your watching of the horses run around Belmont’s big sweeping turns (especially if you have the winner) will be as a delight for you as it has always been a delight for me.

Again, I hope you will have a good time both at Belmont and whatever you decide to do in the City.

[the little guy]

Reaching way back on this one, but I think the typical city block is 1/8 mile long running north/south ... and perhaps a third shorter running east/west. From this, you might get an idea of walking distances from the hotel's map page.


One city block, north to south, is 1/20th of a mile. If it was an eighth of a mile per block I would have to take a cab everywhere.

[Donnie]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

This is my 3rd trip to NYC, but first time to the Belmont. You have all given me some things to think about that I would have never considered....like a 3 hour wait to get back onto the train!! YIKES!

So am I calculating the distance between 50th and Penn Station properly...?....about 13/20ths of a mile? Definitely within walking distance then.

I read on the Belmont website that there will be no alcohol allowed on Belmont Day.....it was under the Coolers area, talking they want to provide a safe and happy experience for everyone.....but I am hoping they don't mean there will be NO alcohol allowed!!!

I appreciate all the feedback given!

[Tom]

And don't forget, you are only 350 miles from Finger Lakes! ;)

[Monty Capuletti]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

This is my 3rd trip to NYC, but first time to the Belmont. You have all given me some things to think about that I would have never considered....like a 3 hour wait to get back onto the train!! YIKES!

So am I calculating the distance between 50th and Penn Station properly...?....about 13/20ths of a mile? Definitely within walking distance then.

I read on the Belmont website that there will be no alcohol allowed on Belmont Day.....it was under the Coolers area, talking they want to provide a safe and happy experience for everyone.....but I am hoping they don't mean there will be NO alcohol allowed!!!

I appreciate all the feedback given!

Not right around the corner from Penn, but definitely no problem to walk.

I believe the ban for Belmont Day is just outside alcohol (coolers). Should be plenty of opportunities for beer and or Cocktails inside the grounds.

Enjoy!

[Donnie]

Thanks Monty!

[point given]

Congratulations and if this is your first time at Belmont Park, the size of the track when you view it from high up in the stands (if you have that opportunity) might be unlike any other track that you have seen. However I hope your watching of the horses run around Belmont’s big sweeping turns (especially if you have the winner) will be as a delight for you as it has always been a delight for me.

Again, I hope you will have a good time both at Belmont and whatever you decide to do in the City.

Bring good binocs with you. As Cratos said , this is one very large racetrack, and even on the TV monitors, the horses look small (no split screen of leaders on top and field on bottom in NY).
Also, dress in layers, depending on the forcaste, Belmont can get windy and cold up in the stands , even though when you walk out of your hotel it may seem like a beautiful day.
Definitely take in a Broadway show while you are in town. You can get discounted tickets the day of the show at the Tickts booth at Broadway and 44th ?? street.
TLG can most likely point you to some of his favorite restaurants and watering holes as well as most everything worthwhile in "the city that never sleeps. " New York, New York " :ThmbUp: Have a great time , y'all come back now, y'here !!! ;)

[Donnie]

Thanks PG. Especially on the tip about layers! Never being to this track, that's kind of thing I was hoping to get from those of you who have frequented it!

I am currently looking for a good zoom lens for my Rebel digital. Have a decent pair of binocs. Already own a unipod. Hoping to get some fantastic pictures of the day!

Told the wife I wouldn't mind taking in a play. The hotel actually has a yacht that they cruise up and down the river(s), free for hotel guests, with a $14 buffet onboard. About a 3 hour cruise. (isn't this how Gilligan started?)

Would definitely take suggestions on restaurants, especially Iltalian!

[alhattab]

Congrats Donnie. A few things not previously mentioned:

-The Belmont Park paddock is, in my estimation, the best in the business. I love Keeneland and Saratoga's paddocks/walking rings, but Belmont's takes it to another level. The signature tree, the Secretariat statue, the fact that you have this incredible metropolis 10 miles to the west and yet you have this sanctuary at Belmont and the quiet of the paddock, even on the rare day when the place is crowded. Awesome.

-June in NYC can be a beautiful time. Previous poster was right on with the Belmont "climate", and it can literally feel 10-15 degrees warmer in the sunshine of the paddock/backyard than in the grandstand, but June is typically benign unless raining as it was in the Empire Maker monsoon in 2003.

-Going to Central Park, even if to do nothing, have a picnic, whatever is a great thing to do at that time of year. And I mean the interior of the park, not 5th Ave and 59th St. Good people watching and real New Yorkers living normal life- something I like to observe whenever I take a city trip.

-If you're into baseball, the Yanks are in town all week/weekend, including a 1:05 tilt on Thursday. Go there before they tear it down. If I were making this trip I take the day off from the races and devote Thursday afternoon to going to the Stadium. There's nothing quite like walking through those portals to the seating area there. Stadium is an easy trip from Grand Central Terminal on the 4 Subway. Grand Central itself is a great place to spend an hour- there are a few places there you can grab a drink and overlook the main concourse.

-If you see a show and don't mind things a bit on the risque side, check out Spring Awakening. One of the producers is a horse guy (note horse by same name a nice Cal-bred filly) and it won Tony for best musical. I saw it and it was excellent.

-Restaurant recommendations in NYC are a dime a dozen. If I'm you I'm heading to the West Village either to the Pearl Oyster Bar or Po, both on Cornelia St (again easy ride on the subway out of Grand Central to West 4th St). Smith and Wollensky is right near the hotel. Mesa Grill (near Flatiron Building) and Bar Americain (52d and 7th) owned by racing guy Bobby Flay and are both excellent.

-Whatever you do, don't worry about getting around town. Very easy and walkable, and safe where you are. Belmont Day experience itself is entirely dependent on if Triple Crown is in the balance. If it is, crowd will be about 2.5 times what it will be without one. Since I'm on someone else's dime, I'd get the hotel to arrange car service both ways so you can fully enjoy yourself. Belmont is awesome and Belmont Day is one of America's best annual racing cards.

[alhattab]

Thanks PG. Especially on the tip about layers! Never being to this track, that's kind of thing I was hoping to get from those of you who have frequented it!

I am currently looking for a good zoom lens for my Rebel digital. Have a decent pair of binocs. Already own a unipod. Hoping to get some fantastic pictures of the day!

Told the wife I wouldn't mind taking in a play. The hotel actually has a yacht that they cruise up and down the river(s), free for hotel guests, with a $14 buffet onboard. About a 3 hour cruise. (isn't this how Gilligan started?)

Would definitely take suggestions on restaurants, especially Iltalian!

I missed this. There are many. Po, which I previously mentioned, very good. Mario Batali. He also has another one that recently got highest rated in the City but I can't recall. Fresco by Scotto is near your hotel and is very good. Many others, just two at which I have eaten.

[Donnie]

Wow! All super suggestions! Thanks alhattab!

We are BIG Food Network fans.....my wife loves to watch Batali on Iron Chef, so I have a feeling you just sealed the deal on the Italian restaurant!!

Hey...you mentioned Bobby Flay ( you said horse guy)....same as on Food Network Flay?? I woulda never guessed, if that is one in the same!

And the wife is all about risque! LOL!

Again....VERY much appreciated!

[Donnie]

Ohhhhh BTW....definitely agree about the paddock at KEE......love it!

[alhattab]

Same guy. Flay owns a few in his own name. Not too many and nothing I can recall being special. Sometimes NYRA will catch him on the simul. feed. I saw him one Mother's Day at Monmouth (mother must be a Jersey Girl) and he did a big Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation benefit at Saratoga this past year.

By the way I could've sworn I saw Alton Brown crossing 6th Ave at 55th street about 3 months ago.

[Donnie]

Congratulations...you have now got my wife all fired up...we are watching Iron Chef right now.....she humors me and my horseplaying!

[the little guy]

I highly recomment taking the LIRR ( train ) to and from the track. They run them about every fifteen minutes ( starting early ) going out to the track and it is a very easy way to go ( honestly, it would be an understatement to say I have made the trip 600 times ). As far as coming back, if it's a TC, then yes it will be pretty crowded going back....however getting in and out with a car will be as bad if not worse. One way to avoid the crowd on the train leaving is to leave RIGHT after the big race. If there is no TC on the line.....the train is far and away the best way to go from the city. Your Hotel is about 1 1/2 miles from Penn Station.

On food, well I'm a snob, and not a good person to ask if you want Italian, though I can't argue with anyone that recommends any of Bobby's restaurants. Bar American is close to your hotel ( it's on 52nd between 6th and 7th I believe ) and is very good. However, Bolo is my favorite of his places. It's on 22nd between 5th and Park. I would also recommend Cafe Gray in the ( relatively ) new Time Warner building on Columbus Circle. Great food and a great room overlooking Central Park. Perhaps if you call early you can get a table near the window but I'm not sure ( I'm not big on looking out windows that are high up.....I don't even like to look out my own windows ). It also sounds like you've gotten some good recommendations from others.

The weather at Belmont is not a concern in June. You are more likely to wish you were naked than wearing layers in Early June. If it was early May, or late October, layers could well not be enough. It is quite true that the paddock can be 15 degrees warmer than the Grandstand. However, it is highly unlikely this will matter on Belmont Day.


Congrats on your win and enjoy yourself at Belmont and in the City.

[Kelso]

One city block, north to south, is 1/20th of a mile. If it was an eighth of a mile per block I would have to take a cab everywhere.


Right you are. As soon as I read your post, it clicked. Though it's been less than two years, I guess I've been thinking in terms of furlongs too much already. :blush:

[the little guy]

Right you are. As soon as I read your post, it clicked. Though it's been less than two years, I guess I've been thinking in terms of furlongs too much already. :blush:


If nothing else, it's a cab thing. The meter changes every four blocks, or a fifth of a mile, and us paranoid NYers can see if the meter is " fast " if it changes more often than every four blocks if you're moving along.

[DanG]

Mario Batali. He also has another one that recently got highest rated in the City but I can't recall.
Donnie…

Congratulations…again!

Absolutely love Batali…but…If you go to Del Posto, be sure it’s after you crushed the last race super. With the price of an appetizer you could balance the federal budget. :faint: The way you grill you might be better off to overnight some Iowa beef into the Belmont picnic grounds and treating NY to some good prime steak.

If the betting doesn’t go your way, never forget...Belmont does have a Nathan’s. ;)


http://z.about.com/d/americanfood/1/0/m/0/-/-/02nathans_Del_Far.jpg

[Donnie]

Damned folks....
I hope others who are planning on making a trip to the Belmont are reading this thread! You guys just keep it coming and keep it coming and it's all good..... uh, except that last picture from Dan :lol: !! There will be 2 bankrolls in play that day...one for betting, one for living (as in "living it up!"). Nathan's isn't quite on the menu for that day. Been to RI plenty of times to experience a Nathan's.

Little Guy--
appreciate the restaurant suggestions....maybe a meal at Cafe Gray, then a stroll thru CP to walk a little of it off. If there is not a TC on the line, how are lines for the trains? At one point I was thinking maybe a train in and a cab out.....?

Again, folks, many many thanks for all the suggestions. This, we hope to make, a very memorable trip. With all of your help, it surely will be!

[Cratos]

Would definitely take suggestions on restaurants, especially Iltalian!


Restaurants to me are a hit and miss because typically it comes down to individual taste. But for Italian you might want try Frank’s on E 2nd and the prices are not bad or if you leave Belmont with pockets of cash you might want to visit San Domenico’s on Central Park S.

[rokitman]

If you win big, gimme a jingle afterwards. I'll give ya a lift.

[Donnie]

Hey Rokit....
I have been to NYC 3 times. I don't think you will have too much trouble finding us at the track....here is a picture of the last time we visited......

http://home.mchsi.com/~mrdon45/V3.jpg

That's me in the left side of that picture. We try to do a good job fittin' in with the locals. ;)

[Nacumi]

Donnie, congrats on winning the trip. I used to work in Manhattan and can't recall ever having a bad meal anywhere, even at the lowliest of diners. :) I'll second whoever recommended Po, but as for Bobby Flay's eateries, I like Mesa Grill, his original spot on Union Square. I think he also took over Judson Grill which is now Bar Americain on W. 52nd. If you want really authentic Italian cuisine, you should go to Brooklyn, anywhere.
BTW, it's a little longer walk to Penn Station than you might think. Your hotel is 17 blocks north, but 4 avenues east of it. The avenues are loooong blocks into the wind.;) My favorite trick (I commuted every day) was to cut off the angles by walking through hotels and banks, and Macy's. It became a game on rainy days in particular.
I seem to recall good Italian places in Hyde Park, right near Belmont, though it's been a while.
I'll also second the comment about Belmont's paddock. The first time we ever raced a horse in NY was at the big Sandy, and I got weepy standing in the paddock staring at the bronze Secretariat. It was pretty heady stuff for a new horse owner with a maiden 2yo. filly. Winning was just a bonus.
Enjoy your trip. We usually go, but only if there isn't a TC on the line. We went last year to see R2R's win, and it was a very pleasant experience due to decent weather and diminished crowds. We skipped a few after Funny Cide's loss in the mud.

[Donnie]

Thanks Nacumi-
Are there many restaurants out near the track? That may be an option to pass time as we wait for the crowd to the train to diminish!
I hear you on the twisting routes to get from point A to point B....wife and I do it all the time in Vegas.....love to walk the Strip and people watch, but don't like the long twisting road going up to each casino, so we use our "path" to get more mileage in in a shorter timeframe. We don't mind the walk, we're both relatively young....48 and 41, respectively. We walk our dogs about a mile everyday....this would beat getting pulled the entire distance!
Wow! Congrats on your first win out of the box! That must of been thrilling as well! I am planning on wearing my digital camera out while at the track alone! Will probably arrive plenty early to get the shots I want without the crowds to deal with. Anybody know what time they open the gates on Belmont Day?

Nacumi-- thanks again!

[rokitman]

Hey Rokit....
I have been to NYC 3 times. I don't think you will have too much trouble finding us at the track....here is a picture of the last time we visited......

http://home.mchsi.com/~mrdon45/V3.jpg

That's me in the left side of that picture. We try to do a good job fittin' in with the locals. ;)Heheh...nice look! :D

[samyn on the green]

Take the train, the only time the train was an issue was the Smarty Jones year when 125K packed into Belmont. I was part of the train contingent that year and it was quite a line to get back on a train, even though one was leaving every 10-15 minutes. Other than the 2004 Belmont the train is not that bad and a car is almost universally horrible to maneuver out of the Belmont stakes. Good luck meeting up with your personal car service in the post race cluster foxtrot.

One year I drove was the War Emblem year and it took me 2 hours to drive the 3 miles back to my apartment in Bayside. Going back to Manhattan might have taken 4 or 5 hours. Last year a trusted associate picked me on Hempstead turnpike and that too was a complete mess, total saturated traffic and a huge police presence shutting down streets and limiting turns. I wish I would have taken the train.

The walkable area around Belmont (Hempstead turnpike, Elmont) does not really have any good restaurants. There are some good restaurants around the backside in Floral Park but they are not walkable from the finish line. Listen to those that direct you to eating in Manhattan. Please do not bring a bag lunch, you won a free airfare, free accommodations and free tickets. You can spring for a $3 hot dog or $8 club sandwich.

[Donnie]

Rokit--
What were you expecting? I'm from Iowa!! :eek:

[rokitman]

Rokit--
What were you expecting? I'm from Iowa!! :eek:I was so disappointed to see you over there loitering in your overalls. I thought you were the sailor, at first!

[thespaah]

One city block, north to south, is 1/20th of a mile. If it was an eighth of a mile per block I would have to take a cab everywhere.correct....I used a mapping program to get the distance..From 59th st and 5th ave to 49th st and 5th ave is one half mile...so indeed it is 20 city blocks ( in Manahattan) per mile....

[MickJ26]

Thanks PG. Especially on the tip about layers! Never being to this track, that's kind of thing I was hoping to get from those of you who have frequented it!

I am currently looking for a good zoom lens for my Rebel digital. Have a decent pair of binocs. Already own a unipod. Hoping to get some fantastic pictures of the day!

Told the wife I wouldn't mind taking in a play. The hotel actually has a yacht that they cruise up and down the river(s), free for hotel guests, with a $14 buffet onboard. About a 3 hour cruise. (isn't this how Gilligan started?)

Would definitely take suggestions on restaurants, especially Iltalian!



I'm not sure when the first trains start arriving on Belmont Day, but, the gates usually open at 8:30 am.
If you don't mind a bit of a walk, there's King Umberto's on Hempstead Turnpike for some excellent Long Island pizza. You can get a pretty good meal almost anywhere. Pizza is something to be savoured.

[Donnie]

Ok....got my tickets yesterday.
Can anyone tell me where Sec 3E Row J Seats 9 & 10 sit in relation to the finish line? All the online pictures I have found put us just past the finish line, but I can't tell because of the perspective they have on the pictures. They drew what I assume is the finish line at an angle that doesn't follow the angle of their building....??!!
Also...from these seats how hard is it gonna be for me to see/get to the saddling area?
Thanks for any help you can give!

[cj's dad]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

This is my 3rd trip to NYC, but first time to the Belmont. You have all given me some things to think about that I would have never considered....like a 3 hour wait to get back onto the train!! YIKES!

So am I calculating the distance between 50th and Penn Station properly...?....about 13/20ths of a mile? Definitely within walking distance then.

I read on the Belmont website that there will be no alcohol allowed on Belmont Day.....it was under the Coolers area, talking they want to provide a safe and happy experience for everyone.....but I am hoping they don't mean there will be NO alcohol allowed!!!

I appreciate all the feedback given!


One word of advice ---- BINOCULARS !!

[cj's dad]

Ok....got my tickets yesterday.
Can anyone tell me where Sec 3E Row J Seats 9 & 10 sit in relation to the finish line? All the online pictures I have found put us just past the finish line, but I can't tell because of the perspective they have on the pictures. They drew what I assume is the finish line at an angle that doesn't follow the angle of their building....??!!
Also...from these seats how hard is it gonna be for me to see/get to the saddling area?
Thanks for any help you can give!

Been to the JCGC several times and the last 2 times I had seats in the third level - ground is considered level#1 and then 2 and 3, so you are 2 decks above the apron and with the "E" section, you are very close but before the finish line. The sections with the double such as "LL" are progressively farther away from the finish line.

[onefast99]

If your looking for the best steak in the entire city be sure to hit the Old Homestead on 14th and 9th. Mexican food its el rio grande 3rd and 37th. Italian family style dont miss Carmines right in the heart of ther theatre district. Enjoy your seats if we dont run in NJ I will be at Belmont.

[rrbauer]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

This is my 3rd trip to NYC, but first time to the Belmont. You have all given me some things to think about that I would have never considered....like a 3 hour wait to get back onto the train!! YIKES!

So am I calculating the distance between 50th and Penn Station properly...?....about 13/20ths of a mile? Definitely within walking distance then.

I read on the Belmont website that there will be no alcohol allowed on Belmont Day.....it was under the Coolers area, talking they want to provide a safe and happy experience for everyone.....but I am hoping they don't mean there will be NO alcohol allowed!!!

I appreciate all the feedback given!

Beer prices are very high. Last year the best deal was a 16oz can for about $5 or $5.50 being sold by special vendors and not at the regular concession stands. They sold out by about the 8th race. There will be a HUGE crowd. I was there when War Emblem was trying for the TC and the attendance was over 100,000. Get in the clubhouse if you can....much better and you can use a restroom without a 30-minute wait. The feedback on the trains from that year, given the size of the crowd, was pretty good. They will have extra trains running I'm sure. If getting a jump on the crowds back to the city is a big deal, then leave after the BB race.

3E is good. You will be in the 10th row back in that section. Take binos (as someone has already posted).

[PIC6SIX]

I am from Ohio but have been to Belmont a few times. I cannot help you on all aspects of your questions but the few times I have been to Belmont I have taken the Long Island Railroad. Takes you right to the track. Why fight traffic? I am sure some NY native racing fans can help you with the other visitor questions you posed. Great score on winning the contest.

[lurker]

Leaving via the LIRR from Belmont on Belmont Day is a nightmare. I have done it on several ocasions and it is dangerous. One time the train crew opended the doors on the wrong side of the train at Jamaica. The best way to get back to NYC is the following:

Exit the track on the Grandstand side where the LIRR trains enter.

Walk along the fence to the parking lot or take the parking lot bus to its last stop, which is a small shed.

Facing away from the shed on your right about 150 yards way is the perimitter parking fence. There is a pedistrian exit only that leads to Floral Park. Walk to this exit.

Go straight 4 blocks and turn left on Walnut. 5 more blocks and you are at the Bellerose station. From there take the LIRR to Penn Station NYC.

It sounds more diffulcult than it is. The total time from exiting the track to the Bellerose station platform is about 20 minutes. However the train is not crowded, and you aviod the bedlam of the Belmont LIRR station. Trains leave from Bellemore at :38 minutes after the hour going towards Penn Station.

Here is a link from mapquest
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/Commonwealth+Blvd+%26+Superior+Rd+Floral+Park+NY+1 1001/

[Storm Cadet]

Ok....got my tickets yesterday.
Can anyone tell me where Sec 3E Row J Seats 9 & 10 sit in relation to the finish line? All the online pictures I have found put us just past the finish line, but I can't tell because of the perspective they have on the pictures. They drew what I assume is the finish line at an angle that doesn't follow the angle of their building....??!!
Also...from these seats how hard is it gonna be for me to see/get to the saddling area?
Thanks for any help you can give!

Good seats...bring the binocs....forget about ever seeing the paddock with the crowd there! Your 3 flights up and the paddock is a mad house 15 deep!

[Donnie]

Thanks for all the great tips!
Storm....do they have an area overlooking the Paddock from above? A few of the different tracks I have been to have been this way.
I will definitely pack the binocs. Also plan to take the camera and monopod with a 500mm lens and 2X converter. Am hoping this will get me a couple good shots down the stretch......

[onefast99]

Thanks for all the great tips!
Storm....do they have an area overlooking the Paddock from above? A few of the different tracks I have been to have been this way.
I will definitely pack the binocs. Also plan to take the camera and monopod with a 500mm lens and 2X converter. Am hoping this will get me a couple good shots down the stretch......
No you must go to the ground level and there is a set of grandstand seats that overlook the paddock. Get there early or you wont have a chance to see anything unless you are 7 feet tall.

[ryesteve]

:confused: The Belmont paddock is BEHIND the grandstand. What seats overlook it?

[highnote]

:confused: The Belmont paddock is BEHIND the grandstand. What seats overlook it?


I thought the paddock was behind the clubhouse/grandstand, but closer to the intersection of the clubhouse and grandstand.

I don't remember any seats, but there is a set of tiered landings to stand on to view the horses as they circle in the paddock.

I always preferred to stand close to the side of the paddock on the clubhouse side where the anchors do their broadcast. You will need to stake out your spot two or three races in advance, otherwise you won't see a thing. If you don't you'll have a better view from your seats with binoculars.

If you really want to see Big Brown, wait to see if he wins the Belmont. Then go visit him for free at the stud farm where you can spend a lot of time with him up close and personal. If he loses the Belmont then you won't have missed much and probably won't care if you ever see him again.

Who cares about seeing Real Quiet, Silver Charm, etc etc etc...

I'm sure some people like seeing good horses, but it's not the same as seeing Secretariat or Affirmed.

[Storm Cadet]

:confused: The Belmont paddock is BEHIND the grandstand. What seats overlook it?

He must mean the bench seats in the grandstand facility near the restrooms and sports bar windowns that face the southside of the facility (away from trackside). But your right, be 7 feet tall or on stilts. And the flowering ivy might also block the view of the paddock this time of year.

[fouroneone]

Your closest OTB is the inside track on 51st street and 2nd avenue, a block and a half from your hotel.

Downstairs is a regular, decrepit, smelly NYC OTB, free to enter, but remember OTB takes out on top of track takeout in NYC.

Upstairs is a $5 players club with a full restaurant. The $5 entry gets u free programs for Flats and Harness. I see Larry King there whenever he is here in New York City.

[cj's dad]

Been to the JCGC several times and the last 2 times I had seats in the third level - ground is considered level#1 and then 2 and 3, so you are 2 decks above the apron and with the "E" section, you are very close but before the finish line. The sections with the double such as "LL" are progressively farther away from the finish line.

You are in the Clubhouse beyond the finish line

Look at a topic of discussion on this site today "Belmont Season Tickets" under gereral racing discussion and you will be given a link to E-Bay
The link will show the seating chart for Belmont and the finish line.

Hope this helps!

[Grits]

Thanks for all the great tips!
Storm....do they have an area overlooking the Paddock from above? A few of the different tracks I have been to have been this way.
I will definitely pack the binocs. Also plan to take the camera and monopod with a 500mm lens and 2X converter. Am hoping this will get me a couple good shots down the stretch......

Donnie, attending Belmont for the last several years, throughout Belmont Week, I think your best bet to get a good shot of Brown may be on Friday afternoon, Belmont Eve. Usually the horses school in the paddock, and many times, there's great opportunity to photograph them, when there's absolutely no problem with the crowd. Its nice and quiet in the paddock then.

I doubt you'd have any problem spotting Brown!!

As far as your camera, with a 500mm lens requiring a monopod, I'd leave it home, or in my hotel. EVERYONE in Belmont Park will be on their feet. Some will be STANDING in their seats during this race, and it will be impossible for you to get a good shot unless you are much taller than everyone else.

There's a good deal of walking on Belmont Day, and the less lugging of equipment one does--the better. Fine binoculars are all one needs.

[46zilzal]

Only ONE gelding ever won it.

[Tom Barrister]

Only ONE gelding ever won it.

And to save others the time of looking it up, that horse was Crème Fraiche in 1985.

Rags to Riches (last year) was the first filly to win in over a century (Tanya won in 1905 and Ruthless in the first Belmont in 1867).