JC / Railbird

If You Can Make it Here

… then thank God that your flights were actually on time for a change.
But seriously folks, I’m on the ground in New York and relaxing in my digs for the next few nights: the Red Roof Inn in Westbury.
As Bart Simpson once said while eating dinner in his panties, “This ain’t the Ritz,” but as far as Red Roofs go, it’s much nicer than any Accor brand hotel I’ve ever stayed at and infinitely nicer than the Red oof Inn (sic) I stayed at in Arlington Heights for the 2002 Breeders’ Cup. To think a girl I was courting actually stepped foot in that room is a marvel. She must have really liked me.
Anyway, I caught the last six races at Belmont today. Didn’t play the pick six but was all over the first two pick threes and the late pick four, so I have some extra ammunition for the sexier Belmont eve and Belmont cards.
It’s hard to tell how much buzz there is for the race since I wasn’t on the backside this morning, but I thought the press box was kind of sparse. I wouldn’t even call it a Preakness-sized crowd, and it was nothing like what the press box is like Derby week at Churchill.
On the plus side, I have heard that the mornings are lively, and the people in the area are very aware of what is on the line this Saturday. I consider it an honor to be a part of it.


3 Comments

Wish I was there.
Suffolk Downs is now offering a $5 million purse for a Big Brown-Curlin matchup. I wonder if that will be enough to lure the connections and the crowds.

Posted by Clarice on June 5, 2008 @ 7:14 pm

The week preceding the Belmont is nothing like Churchill or Pimlico is the week of the Derby and the Preakness. It is a different culture than NY. You have to remember here we have the Mets and the Yankees. We are a big Pro Sports town. You had 2800 at Belmont yesterday and you will have maybe 7500 there tomorrow. But on the Belmont Stakes day the crowd will be there 100K strong. The media is covering the event big time and by Saturday morning all eyes will be on the Belmont. For good local media coverage check out the Daily News (esp. Vic Siegal) , The NY Post, The NY Times (esp. Joe Drape) and Newsday. They all will have multiple articles and columns which will drum up the hype. Come Saturday the place will be a madhouse with a collection of racing diehards, curious casual fans, worldwide media, and alot of crazy New Yorkers. Don’t be scared of us , we are nice just a little rough on the edges and loud. We were brought up going to the Big A, Belmont, the Meadowlands and the Saratoga in the summer. We like to curse, bet, curse some more and bet even more. We are New Yorkers and we embrace you.

Posted by robert on June 5, 2008 @ 10:15 pm

Be there for me!

Posted by libby on June 6, 2008 @ 4:17 pm