Belmont Day (Mostly) Not Lame

- Most of Belmont day was not lame (including, we're thus far told, Big Brown). NYRA was certainly prepared for the big crowd in terms of betting windows; there were no significant lines at all, at least where I was traveling; I never had to wait more than a few minutes, at most. Same goes for food and drink. The bathrooms and the water situation were another story. NYRA tried; some men's rooms had been converted to woman's, and there were some (but not enough) portable toilets out in the back. Seems like 20/20 hindsight now to blame NYRA for the loss of water pressure - one NYRA employee told Newsday that it was caused by fire hydrants being opened in the area. But it certainly highlighted the infrastructure improvements needed at the facility. If I have one criticism of NYRA, it would be for not directing people standing on the most imposing lines (including the ones for prime spots in bushes) to seek relief elsewhere in the building. I never waited very long...and no, I did not go in one of the staircases like I saw some men do (though one of them was nice enough to use a cup).

But the Belmont Stakes itself certainly was lame. And so was I....and I'm not talking only about my picks. Upon arriving in the backyard a little after 11 after a riotous ride on a packed LIRR train (the first of the day), I was walking around the back, carrying a heavy load, dodging the blankets already set up, looking for a spot. And in clumsily navigating a particularly crowded section, I stepped on an uneven patch of grass and turned my right ankle quite badly; even earning a gasp, and a "are you all right?" from a stranger.

I also got a gasp out of my buddy Ira when he saw how swollen it was. I spent much of the day applying ice, which I fortunately had in my cooler. And I managed to limp up and down between my prime spot under a lush tree (also hanging out with John of The Race is Not Always To The Swift, and our excellent seats just inside the sixteenth pole in section 3S. I also made it to a gathering of TBA bloggers.

And later, sufficiently numb from several Excedrin washed down with bourbon, I made it to the paddock before the Belmont.




All eyes (and cameras) were on the big favorite as he prepared to parade around the paddock.



Looked OK here.



If he was feeling the heat, he certainly wasn't showing any outward signs of it; at least at this point.

Back up to the seats, and the crowd roared their approval for Big Brown.


The cheering would stop in a few minutes. It was not nearly the hush that fell upon the crowd when Birdstone caught Smarty Jones - I've never heard so many people silenced as suddenly as they were on that day. But it got pretty quiet when Big Brown floundered down towards the finish line; and a few boos even rained down from the stands.

I was at a big family event on Sunday, and everyone asked me what happened. And of course, I had no intelligent answer to give. We're told that the horse is fine; and Michael Iavarone insists that he will continue on to the Travers and Breeders' Cup....as long, that is, as nothing is found to be wrong. Iavarone has zero credibility of course, so excuse me for expecting an imminent announcement that upon further review, the horse suffered some vague injury during the race, and that Big Brown will be retired for his own safety. A return by the horse in the Travers would certainly cause much intrigue. But I'll believe it when I see it.