What a great, great day to be at the races. There was a nice crowd, though the announced attendance of 19,000 included those who showed up for the folding chair giveaway and then left; shockingly, I saw spinners for the first time at Belmont: people going through the turnstile multiple times to get multiple chairs. If you were unable to get here and would like your very own Belmont Park chair, check E-bay tonight…I’m sure that there will be plenty.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup was first run in 1919, and it’s the highlight of the Belmont fall meet—it is to Belmont what the Travers is to Saratoga. Remarkably, Kelso won it five consecutive years (1960-1964), and several horses won it two years in a row: Creme Fraiche (86-87); Slew O’Gold (83-84); Skip Away (96-97). The last few years have turned out some fan favorite winners: Bernardini easily won it last year, and in one of the best races I’ve seen, Funny Cide won in 2004. He looked beat at the top of the stretch, and just dug in and flew away to win it, to the delight of the crowd. Old favorite Evening Attire won in 2002.
Today’s race is another one that we’ll remember for a while, not least because we saw Curlin do in the Belmont stretch what he did three and a half months ago…except this time, his nose crossed the finish line first. The finish was really, really exciting, and the crowd just threw itself into the moment, exulting in Curlin’s victory and applauding his trot to the winner’s circle. I suspect that they would have done the same if Lawyer Ron had won.
The race does not answer any questions about Lawyer Ron’s ability to get a mile and a quarter, the distance of the Breeders’ Classic, and it will now be interesting to see how the odds fall out in a month’s time.
More later/tomorrow on the other races.
Brooklyn Backstretch 
Miss Shop did it to me again! Just when I thought it was safe to wager on her – she comes in 6th. Oh well, she was due for an off race. Shame on me for my bad timing. Wasn’t Curlin’s win awesome? I missed his race, (and Miss Shop’s – we had family over for dinner) but when I watched the replay today it brought tears to my eyes. He’s magnficent! It’s a shame he had to lose the Belmont Stakes because he’s better than being remembered as the “colt that Rags beat.” It was heartwarming when the fans gave Curlin a standing O on the way to the Winner’s Circle. Papa Smart Strike and the PA horses had a great weekend! Hard Spun and Fabulous Strike did us proud! I saw both of those races and all I can say is Wow! The TVG announcers were concerned that HS was too wound up before the race and unlike Street Sense, had a ‘wild look in his eyes.” I guess he did! Choklitz
I’m glad you posted what you did about Hard Spun before the race; I didn’t see the races on Saturday, but before the King’s Bishop, he was the same way in the paddock at Saratoga. In fact, a friend of mine said, “Based on the way he’s acting, I’m throwing him out.” A few minutes later, he was swallowing hard as he ate his words…