California Chrome just won the Triple Crown

[FrankD.]

Many of you have met my friend Laura at the Spa, she is a school teacher who worked for 15 years as a mutuel clerk there during the summers. The past 3 meets she has been on the other side of the windows wandering around with me; I\'m told I\'m more fun than working there.

She is a horse racing nut to the max and a fair bettor reading the form or with her other system of betting the horse whose name sounds like a winner. In case anyone was wondering where blonde jokes come from! She loves going to the paddock, winners circle and I can\'t take her over to Oklahoma enough in the mornings taking tons of pictures all the time.

I\'ve seen the last 3 Triple Crown winners; Slew & Affirmed live at Belmont and The great Secretariat getting beat by Onion in the 1973 Whitney, my first Spa visit with my Grandfather. She begged me to take her see I\'ll Have Another 2 years ago and I got lucky when he scratched. She has been all over me since the Preakness guaranteeing that we will see history and she wants to be there.
I almost bought grand stand seats for $90 at the 1/16th pole Preakness morning but didn\'t. I\'ve made every excuse in the book not to take her next Saturday. Those seats are now $400 plus, I don\'t want to sit in traffic for 3 hours leaving Belmont after a long day, If we take Amtrak the LIRR getting back to Penn Station is a cattle stampede. There was a local bus company who had transportation and grandstand seats all the way at the end and up top but they were sold out. I thought I was home free and not having to fight 120,000 loonies and all that entails.

Low and behold the Queen of social media entered a contest on NYRA face book picking your favorite Tom Durkin race call and choose The Travers dead heat of Golden Ticket & Alpha and she received a Tweet that she won 2 grandstand tickets and free admission if she acknowledged she could attend. She did and sent them her address so the tickets are in the mail; the bus company added a transportation only package leaving here 630 AM and returning 30 minutes after the Belmont for $ 69.00 each.

So let\'s guess who is now going to the Belmont cause he is out of excuses on all fronts?

The pretty blonde lady has some BIG Karma working and wants to see a Triple Crown winner. I wouldn\'t bet against her!!!!

A bewildered Frank D.

[bellsbendboy]

Good for you Frank...congrats!  bbb

[joemama]

There is the proof in the saying \"You just can\'t win\"!  Watch it pour down 2 inches of rain that day all day long to complete the wonderful day.  If you cash that\'ll wipe the board clean and hopefully make all of it tolerable.

[smalltimer]

Looks like a tall order for any of the entrants to win.

If you dismiss Danza (entered and scratched) and Dance With Fate (not entered) that still leaves the other top 5 finishers in the Derby going into this race.

With Chrome\'s self-made good trip in the Derby and then take into account either ground loss due to a large field or Belmont horses who encountered trouble the total gap from Chrome to Medal Count was only 6+ lengths.  Not that much room for errors when taking on 4 well rested Derby experienced challengers, all of whom ran credible races at 1 1/4.  Of those 5, the only one who appears could be distanced challenged is Samraat, the rest (excluding ROC) could relish the added distance with fresh legs.  

Add in a few new shooters and it\'s gonna take a nice horse to win the Belmont. If Chrome can survive this next challenge I\'ll hop aboard.

[skitimber]

There was a lot of Karma going in 2004 . . . until the last few seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8s_iIIJiOY&feature=kp

Whatever happens, enjoy the seats and the company and be prepared to do a bit of consoling just in case.

[richiebee]

Wow Frank Triple Crown winner and Ranger Stanley Cup all in one year?

[johnnym]

What a possible sports day in the big apple next sat.
Triple Crown and Ranger Stanely Cup game..
1994 all over again..
Lets go Rangers!!

[Bet Twice]

I\'m heading down to the Belmont for the first time this year.  I\'m picking up my uncle at JFK at 10:30 Saturday morning and then heading in. I\'m concerned about parking and traffic heading in that late in the morning.  Any suggestions from the \"regulars\"?

[CHOWDERMAN]

get to the track by 10am...park right next to an exitin the front lot....you enter it right from the cross island parkway...wait until the end of the entire card, let the traffic dissapate..

[jbelfior]

Barry Melrose said today that the Rangers will lose to whomever wins the Kings-Hawks series.
Get ready for a parade down Broadway---Melrose the biggest mush.

Good Luck,
Joe B

[sekrah]

Not that much of a reach.  Hawks or Kings might be 2-1 favs in that series.

[belmont3]

Have 40+ Belmonts in a row.

I do not think you will have any problem arriving in the 10-noon range.
I usually coast right in around 10am and do try to park near the exit you want. (in my case the Cross Island North).

I recent years the grandstand stays half empty until mid-afternoon. Around 2pm, it starts to fill and will surely be overcapacity crowd by post time.

With two races after the Belmont, you can play them and let some of the crowd dissipate.

If not, run to your car as they hit the finish line and you may get out quick.

Good luck and enjoy the day.

[TMW]

belmont3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have 40+ Belmonts in a row.
>
> I do not think you will have any problem arriving
> in the 10-noon range.
> I usually coast right in around 10am and do try to
> park near the exit you want. (in my case the Cross
> Island North).
>
> I recent years the grandstand stays half empty
> until mid-afternoon. Around 2pm, it starts to fill
> and will surely be overcapacity crowd by post
> time.
>
> With two races after the Belmont, you can play
> them and let some of the crowd dissipate.
>
> If not, run to your car as they hit the finish
> line and you may get out quick.
>
> Good luck and enjoy the day.


I believe the first post on Belmont Stakes Day is 11:35 AM. Probably 10X a normal crowd will be attending.

[miff]

CC just put in final work this am and had all the clockers impressed.Tonalist also worked sharp.Both horses looking physically well.

Social Inclusion \"flew\" according to pal there watching works.

Belmont surface appeared to be lightening fast this am.

[Bet Twice]

Great info - thanks.