NEWS STORY 23 - Belmont 100th Birthday ! We were on track to enjoy.
Enjoying the peace and serenity of being an annoymous spectactor, 'The Stick' - MC really enjoyed being on track for Belmont Park's actual 100th birthday. We rubbed elbows with all the big names who were on track, and they did not even notice us, which is just how we like it...

Story by MC_Excelsior "The Stick"

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5/04/05 - We enjoy a personal day out at beautiful Belmont Park on its chronological 100th birthday.

The weather is still cold in NY in early May, and normally at this time we would still be at Aqueduct. However, this day in history was anything but normal. It was Belmont Park's 100th birthday. 5/04/05 is the exact date marking Belmont Park's turning 100 years old, and we had to be there. Not for anyone else, but just for us.

How much history do you have to have with a landmark in order to consider it your home away from home. How many visits, or historic dates did you have to go there for before your psyche becomes one with the location ? Of all the places in the world I feel safe, and at home, Belmont Park stands out significantly. I have never slept there, nor have I ever made love to a woman there, yet Belmont Park feels like home to me.

Riding the first floor escalator up from the saddleing enclosure to the 2nd floor in the clubhouse, I went through different time zones in my life. The Walking Ring/Saddleing enclosure is modern day for me. It is new and fresh looking, the new brick/tile and tables all feel very modern and current. Riding the escalator and viewing the glass tunnel for the horses to walk through the building to the track on the other side reminded me of the 1970's. Something about the exposed brick and glass arches that reminded me of the Marlboro Cup, and watching Dallas star, Larry Hagman riding through the tunnel for the post parade of that race. Arriving on the 2nd floor and walking towards the owners boxes brought me through the 80's as I looked at the many paintings near the top of walls that almost no one ever seems to notice, but which seem like Micheangelo fresco's to me. As I look out at the racetrack, I am brought into the 1990s and reminded of the huge run Colonial Affair made with Julie Krone aboard. Tom Durkin announced, 'Julie Krone is riding for her life'. She was the first female jockey to win the Belmont Stakes.

We saw all the big wigs from management come out of the 2nd floor offices, in fact, my father and I almost walked right into them as they appeared out of an unmarked door and walked right out. For an instant, it appeared they were going to say hello to us, then realizing they did not know who we were, they turned and walked over to the Trustee's restaurant. No problem guys, we prefer being annonymous at the race track. In another interesting moment of the day, when I had arrive off the escalator to the 2nd floor clubhouse, DRF editor, Steve Crist and 2 friends were walking almost side by side to me. Mr Crist had a beige suit on and his trademark hair in a ponytail. He looked happy too. You can tell a true fan of Belmont Park, they smile while they walk through the track. Mr Crist had that same smile and confidence in his walk that we had. There is something about Belmont Park that brings that out. While we regularly advertise in DRF, Mr Crist does not know us either, perhaps an odd email sent to him over the years sent and answered, but nothing more. It was good to see him enjoying his day at Belmont, it reminded us how much we enjoyed being there also.

I went in to the gift shop on the second floor clubhouse and looked to see if they had any of the 100 year anniversary T-shirts that they will give away for free on Saturday. While there I ran into a security guard I had met 1 year ago when my father felt ill and had to have a wheelchair take him back to the car. What wonderful memories that man had about the track. He joked with us that he started his job as a security guard 37 years ago as a temporary job..and was still there working. I like to meet people like that at the track or wherever I am. Real people, with normal lives, content with themselves, and able to remind you how it used to be in a given place. I was very happy to have made his aquiantence.

Each race on this day was called by a previous track announcer and also by current announcer, Tom Durkin. Marshall Cassidy, Larry Coulmus, and Jonh Imbriale each called a different race. Perhaps this accounted for my 'moments in time' feeling as I walked through the complex. It would have been nice to hear the call of two others who were not in attendance. Dave Johnson called the races at Belmont Park after the late/great Chick Anderson. With his distinctive voice and personality, Dave Johnson brought Hollywood to Belmont Park. His calls were all very special. The other track announcer we would have liked to hear was former announcer, Frank Dwyer. Dwyer was a dual announcer with John Imbriale a few years back, and did have a positive contribution in his time. We understand the reasons why he might not have wanted to be there, or might not have been invited, but at some point bygones have to be bygones. History is history, and everyone involved with Belmont should take part in enjoying its past, present, and future.

I called Karen, 'The Blaze' on my cel phone, and she immediately remarked on how excited my voice was, and how happy I sounded while I was talking to her. I really soaked up the day at Belmont Park, this Wednesday, May 4th, 2005. I went into every corner where my mother had always stood and been, and realized this was the first year I could remember that she missed opening day at Belmont Park. I went into the observation area of the Walking ring, and looked closely at all the other people there. They were Americans. Everyone was a different background and monetary class. It was a good crown for a weekday. About 10,000 people came through the gates. I think they had almost as much fun as we did. I don't know if they won or lost on their 'investments', but they sure made a good amount of noise and the track felt full, not empty.

I can't say why the stretch run at Belmont is so enjoyable for me to watch. It could be the sweeping far turn that spills the horses into the stretch giving any horse a winning shot from almost any position. Maybe its the wide stretch run that gives 5 or 6 horses free traffic lanes to run through on their way to victory. Whatever it is, my world is safe, and complete when I can watch the horses run through the stretch at Belmont Park live and in real time. Not on tape, not at a simulcast, but there in person.

In an age when Horse Racing appears to be on the verge of falling into an abyss, it was so soothing to just be a horse racing fan, and enjoy my day out at the track. It felt so good to just watch the horses run and not think about anything else in the world. I could not see the ghosts or shadows of the past of all the racing fans and owners and jockeys and visitors to Belmont Park, but I could sure feel them. I think wherever we all go after this life, whatever we all do when its our time, we must take something with us to make this existance have value and meaning. The feeling at Belmont Park is like a flavor you just cant taste anywhere else. That feeling was self evident to everyone on track today. Im sure everyone who knows it could relate to what I am saying, and I know all those who have enjoyed Belmont Park in the past and present could relate to the emotions of the day.

Happy Birthday Belmont Park. I said it out loud as I walked towards the Woody Stephens shrine on the first floor. It was so pleasant to be part of such a historic day. Happy Birthday Belmont Park.

Best Regards and Racing, MC_Excelsior

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