Belmont Stakes - Our Final Big Adventure Fact!

We’re closing in on the 144^th Running of The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Long Island this coming Saturday, June 9^th. Since the event is just days away, The Big Adventure wanted to share some noteworthy Belmont Stakes Trivia. Anything we can do to get you pumped up for the Triple Crown Bid day and to impress any friends who may be equine aficionados. Each day, we’ll count down the nine most interesting facts about the Belmont Stakes:

Fact #1- The Final Fact - We saved the best for last: The Theme Song! For decades the traditional theme song of the Belmont Stakes was "Sidewalks of New York," and then in 1997 track officials decided it was time mix it up in an attempt to appeal to the under 80 crowd and made it the classic Sinatra tune"New York, New York"
 

But in 2010, it all changed! The New York Racing Association replaced the tune to "Empire State of Mind" as the music heard when the horses step onto the track for the $1 million Belmont on Saturday. The change is being made because Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" has become a "quintessential 21st century theme song for New York City," says NYRA marketing director Neema Ghazi. Sure. Whatever.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/03/AR2010060304395.html

If you’re looking to plan your own Belmont Stakes Adventure this Saturday, feel free to look to our Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure from 2010 for some inspiration on some great things to do that day!

Belmont Stakes Trivia Day Four - Crossing the line by a nose!

We’re closing in on the 144^th Running of The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Long Island this coming Saturday, June 9^th. Since the event is just days away, The Big Adventure wanted to share some noteworthy Belmont Stakes Trivia. Anything we can do to get you pumped up for the Triple Crown Bid day and to impress any friends who may be equine aficionados. Each day, we’ll count down the nine most interesting facts about the Belmont Stakes:

 

Fact #3 – The official flower of the Belmont Stakes? The carnation! It’s a logical choice to crown the winner of the 1½-mile race with these because pure white carnations traditionally stand for love and luck, but they are also hardy, long-lasting flowers. So, the winner gets not only a huge cash purse, a glowing trophy but also some flowers.

It takes approximately 700 carnations imported from Colombia to create the 40 pound blanket. The blanket is then draped over the winner of the Belmont Stakes in the winner's circle. The Big Adventure is looking into acquiring a carnation blanket for our own personal use because it sounds comfortable and warm.

For fans looking to catch a glimpse of the official blanket, the best place is to catch several NYRA staffers tour the building with the carnation mantle, stopping for about 20 minutes on all four floors of the Clubhouse to post for photos and answer questions like "Hey, can I have those flowers when you're done with ‘em?"

Fact #2 – So, who is arguably the greatest horse to ever be a part of horse racing? Black Beauty? Trigger? Mr. Ed? Amazingly enough, none of the above. Most people agree that Triple-Crown Winner Secretariat is top equine achiever. In 1973, Secretariat set a track and world record of 2:24 for the mile and a half with his 31-length victory, a record that still stands today.

Ultimately, Secretariat sired as many as 600 foals during his retirement. That's some good living right there. Though his blood flows through other notable racehorses---including 2004 Kentucky Derby and 2010 Preakness winner Smarty Jones.

That's why you can find this big ole statue of the horse at both Belmont and Churchill Downs. Sadly, a racehorse named City On The Line was euthanized in May 2009 after crashing into a bronze statue of Secretariat in the Belmont Park paddock. Wow, even we are amazed at amount of trivia we know...

If you’re looking to plan your own Belmont Stakes Adventure this Saturday, feel free to look to our Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure from 2010 for some inspiration on some great things to do that day!

More Belmont Stakes Trivia from the NYC Big Adventure

We’re closing in on the 144^th Running of The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Long Island this coming Saturday, June 9^th. Since the event is just days away, The Big Adventure wanted to share some noteworthy Belmont Stakes Trivia. Anything we can do to get you pumped up for the Triple Crown Bid day and to impress any friends who may be equine aficionados. Each day, we’ll count down the nine most interesting facts about the Belmont Stakes: 

Fact #5 – The Belmont Stakes is often called the Jewel of The Triple Crown. Why? Well, for one reason, the Belmont it is the oldest of the three Triple Crown events. The Belmont predates the Preakness by six years and the legendary Kentucky Derby by a big eight years. The first running of the Belmont Stakes was in 1867 at Jerome Park in the Bronx near Fordham University! (Go Rams). The also was inconveniently on a Thursday. Which we believe is the primary reason the event was not televised on ESPN that year.

 

 Fact #4 – By the numbers: Triple Crown Winners in 20th Century: 11. (with a BIG chance for another one this year).

Winner's Purse of the first Belmont Stakes: $1,850

Biggest Single Purse Since $1,764,800 in 1992.

Largest Margin of Victory Every: Secretariat in 1973 by a whopping 31 lengths (that is one boring race).

And the most interesting stat that could be helpful when betting: Of the 141 previous running’s of the Belmont Stakes, 60 have been won by the betting favorite (42.5 percent). A nice tip for race day...

If you’re looking to plan your own Belmont Stakes Adventure this Saturday, feel free to look to our Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure from 2010 for some inspiration on some great things to do that day!

Day two of 2012 Belmont Stakes Trivia from the NYC Big Adventure

We’re closing in on the 144^th Running of The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Long Island this coming Saturday, June 9^th. Since the event is just days away, The Big Adventure wanted to share some noteworthy Belmont Stakes Trivia. Anything we can do to get you pumped up for the Triple Crown Bid day and to impress any friends who may be equine aficionados. Each day, we’ll count down the nine most interesting facts about the Belmont Stakes:

Fact #7 – Since 1905, 54 bays have won the Belmont Stakes. Chestnut winners account for fifty of the race's champions, and 28 dark bay, or brown horses have won the stakes. There have also been three black winners, two gray champions, and one roan victor. The important thing here is that The Big Adventure has absolutely no idea what any of that meant. Horse racing experts, we are not. Come Saturday, we'll be wagering on, um, the pretty ones.

Fact #6 – The Belmont Stakes trophy is a Tiffany-made silver bowl, supported by three lovely horses representing the three foundation thoroughbreds - Eclipse, Herod and Matchem. Did youknow there were three foundation thoroughbreds.? Learning so much! Furthermore, the bowl (including cover) is 18 inches high, 15 inches across and 14 inches at the base. The trophy is a solid silver bowl, and was presented by the Belmont family as a perpetual award for the Belmont Stakes in 1926. Our goal is to make sure everyone who attends the next Big Adventure gets one of their very own Belmont Stakes Trophy. Lofty goals are the only kind we know...

If you’re looking to plan your own Belmont Stakes Adventure this Saturday, feel free to look to our Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure from 2010 for some inspiration on some great things to do that day!

Kicking off a week of Belmont Stakes 2012 Facts and Figures

We’re closing in on the 144^th Running of The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Long Island this coming Saturday, June 9^th. Since the event is just days away, The Big Adventure wanted to share some noteworthy Belmont Stakes Trivia. Anything we can do to get you pumped up for the Triple Crown Bid day and to impress any friends who may be equine aficionados. Each day, we’ll count down the nine most interesting facts about the Belmont Stakes:

Fact #9 – The First Winner of the Belmont Stakes was Ruthless who won in 1867 in 3 minutes and five seconds. Ruthless also won the Triple Crown leaving old -timey people everywhere to exclaim: “Great Pope Pius IX! I'd wager 10 bits that this fine steed makes Jefferson Davis look like Ulysses Grant!”

Fact #8 – The Largest Crowd Ever at Belmont Stakes was in 2004 when 120,000+ spectators visited the track to see Smarty Jones take a chance to become Triple Crown winner - Smarty finished 2nd. That's more people than New Yankee Stadium and Citi Field combined can hold! Belmont Park also can handle crowds larger than the Big House at University of Michigan - The largest sports stadium in America. And..yes..also larger than that Horseshoe in Columbus, OH

If you’re looking to plan your own Belmont Stakes Adventure this Saturday, feel free to look to our Belmont Stakes and Delicious Steaks Big Adventure from 2010 for some inspiration on some great things to do that day!