Finally, it’s here

I am shortly heading out to beautiful Belmont Park to spend a day that may well rival last summer’s Travers on the unpleasant scale. I’m not a big fan of crowds or excessive heat, and both will be in abundance in a few short hours. So as I get myself into the spirit of this historic day, a few thoughts:

Way to go, Evening Attire! He was his usual closing second in the Brooklyn Handicap yesterday; Delosvientos led the entire mile and a half, but (and how often do we say this?), with a little more distance, Evening Attire might have gotten there. Maybe he needs two miles? And perhaps his recent gate schooling helped, as, while he didn’t exactly bound out of his stall, he didn’t lag behind as much as usual.

I was at a Belmont event last night, and while, unfortunately, most people there didn’t seem to know a thing about horse racing, it did help to get me in the mood about this Triple Crown, about which I have been at best ambivalent for the last three weeks. Many of the folks attending last night do intend to come out to the races today, but I have a hard time seeing them showing up at the track again anytime soon, whether Big Brown wins today or not.

I am never all that excited about posting public picks, but at the urging of Patrick at Handride, I’ve added mine (caveat: they are the result of a cursory look at the past performances on the subway last night, not any serious handicapping), to the Thoroughbred Bloggers’ Alliance list, and I present them herewith:

True North: Benny the Bull
Just A Game: Vacare
Acorn: Zaftig
Woody Stephens: Groomedforvictory
Manhattan: Dancing Forever
Belmont: Tale of Ekati

I’ve hit the Belmont exacta the last three years, but as I will probably not even play exotics, or maybe anything, in the race today, that streak is, alas, about to end.

May you be more successful at the windows than I am, and cooler, and less crowded, wherever you’ll be. Here’s to a good day for all, and may they all come home safely.