The Final Jewel: Full Circle in Floral Park. Celebrating the Belmont States in the heart of Long Island.

Hello friend. You are on The Guest List.  The third and final race of the Triple Crown is today! And what a beautiful day to wrap up our series! We’ve danced through Louisville for the Derby (juleps in hand), found our home-away-from-home in Charleston for the Preakness with our friends at Tidewater, and now, it is time for the third and final jewel of our Triple Crown celebration: the laid-back summer vibes of the Belmont Stakes.

The 'Grand Old Lady' from THE Grand Old Lady, Florence.

You all know my heart and home is in Lexington. I live my daily life just a bike ride away from the historic fences of Keeneland, but my love for Belmont is just in my blood. For me, celebrating the Belmont Stakes isn’t just about the watching the ponies run—it is about Long Island summers with my cousins taking me to the local bars and block parties in Floral Park, honoring the colorful stories of my grandmother, Florence, (a little cotton ball of a woman who turned 93 this May! ) who grew up running around Belmont Park as a child in the 1930s and '40s.

To celebrate like a true local, we have to talk history. At four years of age my grandmother took me to the track for the first time for Breakfast at Belmont (breakfast and watching the morning training sessions) and my first ever horse race. She would describe Belmont as this place that felt like a friend, the track, affectionately known as the "Grand Old Lady" is deeply rooted in Elmont.

Growing up a only few blocks from the track, which in the at the time was a small town with a corner supply shop and candy store, Florence would tell stories about being a little girl walking the few blocks to Belmont Park with her father.

"Being here in New York he missed the country and loved seeing the horses. Since many of the "Hot Walkers" (the men who would exercise the horses) shared a passion for horses, they became friendly with my father. And when I was feeling very grown-up, I'd walk to Sunday School by myself. But before I left the house, I would sneak sugar cubes and carrots out of the larder into my pockets! And the Walkers, since they knew me, would always bring the horses over to the fence to let me pet them and feed them special Sunday treats. They were just so beautiful, I just loved it."

Hearing these descriptions as a child felt both familiar and nostalgic even though my first visit to Belmont was some 40-odd years later. Moving from Long Island to Kentucky at a young age it was hard to picture that place - now full of people, amazing pizza, and traffic - as a small town looking more like the Kentucky I know.

Short and Sweet till 2027

There are somethings I didn't know until I started writing this series. The Belmont Stakes is a bit longer than the first two races (Derby & Preakness). This race is normally 1-1/2 miles, a significant distance intended to test a Thoroughbred’s stamina and is the longest of the Triple Crown events.  While at Saratoga this race has been shortened to 1-1/4 miles, making it the same distance as the Derby. In 2027 the race will move back to its beloved namesake Belmont Park in Elmont and reagin its full glory of a mile and a half.

Sing it Sinatra. Gearing up to hear the classic ballad "New York, New York" as the horses are loaded into the gate. Post time is 7:04pm on June 6th and how can you not sing along? Now, "My Old Kentucky Home" brings a tear to my eye every time, but this roudy tune gets the blood going!

And like the other two legs of the Triple Crown - the winner is presented with a beautiful garland of flowers. Which always reminds me of my favorite childhood book. Ferdinand.

• The Derby: Red Roses

• The Preakness: "Black Eyed Susans", but techniacly made of yellow chrysanthemums

• The Belmont Stakes: White Carnations.

  
  

I love this quote from Ellen Frost about the flower drama. Maryland’s state flower, the Black-eyed Susan, is the official flower for the Preakness Stakes. Black-eyed Susans, however, do not bloom this time of year in Maryland. They also are not commercially grown elsewhere like roses or carnations. So, the Preakness winner wears a garland of imposters. Viking poms, a relative of the chrysanthemum, are used instead. They have a similar appearance to Black-eyed Susans - if you don’t look too closely. I guess it’s an improvement over our original outrageous decades-long flower scam: Teams of workers once hand-painted the center of thousands of yellow daisies black to disguise them as ersatz Black-eyed Susans for the garland.

Come for the Commuity and Corn Hole!

This year, the location has temporarily shifted to Saratoga while Belmont Park undergoes a massive renovation— again, we all need a little pick me up from time to time.  But I am waiting for 2027 when the race comes back to her namesake.

While not the month-long city-stopping spectacle that is the Derby Festival there are events leading up to race day that make you feel like a local, or at least like you spent your summers visiting.

Add them to the Celebration Circuit for for 2027:

• Floral Park Street Fair:  Held the evening before the race makes you feel like you grew up here. There are vendors, live music, food trucks - all the things you want in a community event.

• Will we be drinking bourbon. Yes. Will we be drinking juleps? No ma'am.  A true Belmont party requires the third in our Triple Crown Cocktails: a Belmont Jewel. This is a really pretty easy-drinking mix of bourbon, pomegranate-lemonade, and a touch of iced tea. It’s refreshing, and gives the hit of an elevated LIT, so when on Long Island.

• Trinity Restaurant: The Belmont Backyard Party at Trinity in Floral Park. A cozy Irish Pub that feels like you grew up going here with great food, live music, comfortable atmosphhere, and a great pint of Guinness. If you can't find me, I'll be here living my best summer like its the early 2000s.

All three legs of the Triple Crown are worth celebrating in their own unique ways. We love that we can carry on the traditions rooted in history and connection to commuinty. Hope you have a big time celebrating this year and make sure to plan out your Triple Crown Celebration Circuit for 2027 to make the most of reservations, travel plans, and accomodations!!

And in case you missed the first two posts in our Triple Crown Celebration Circuit, make sure to check out:

• It's Derby Baby: Bring the good ice -we have Juleps to make. Read More.

• The Second Jewel: Inside the Exclusive Preakness Celebration at Charleston’s Newest Social Sanctuary, TIDEWATER. Read More.