And they're off!

Last year, good friends took me to my first Belmont Stakes and got me hooked. This year I returned with my friends (even surprising one who didn't know I was back in town!) and also brought my cousin, brother, and sister-in-law to experience their first Belmont.

 

It's tradition to wear a hat to the race so I sported my first hat in years while checking out the delightful hats of my fellow gamblers.

 

We spent a good chunk of the day at the paddock where we could see the horses before each race. For someone like me who knows nothing whatsoever about horse racing, this was how I decided which bets to place. I followed various scientific approaches, such as picking the prettiest horse, choosing the most appealing name, or picking the jockey with the best silks.

 

There had been a lot of hoopla in the lead up to the race because I'll Have Another was on track to be the first triple crown winner since 1978. Unfortunately, the horse withdrew the day before so that was the end of that. Still, there was plenty of excitement for the Belmont Stakes and, for the second year in a row, I bet on the winning horse! Thanks to Union Rags and jockey Johnny V (as we like to call him), I won a whopping $7.50 on a $2 bet! That was almost--but not quite--enough for a Manhattan beer later in the night. Still, I was pretty excited to have won again and to have shared a great day with friends and family.