Behind the Scenes at Belmont

Not Sure I Was Welcome There

It was two weeks earlier when I decided I needed to go cover the Belmont. It took a few helpful phone calls before my press credential was finally approved and even then I had this almost unwelcome feeling at first by the media department where some of the people I recalled from the past still worked. They weren’t totally forthcoming with telling me about what was happening when – perhaps because they either took it for granted I knew or because there was a policy of don’t offer unless they ask. It was only because I knew about the above events from my past coverage that I knew enough to ask about them.

Fortunately I did remember about the Breakfast and the Press Party, but I missed the part about having to ask for a special press parking pass and despite the fact that I was one of the first press to arrive on Belmont Stakes Day, I had quite a hike to get to the press box from where I had to park. Fortunately, my early arrival boded well for a seat in the press room. With not much competition I was able to get a prime position right in the main area and that helped soften the other feelings I was having...almost like an outsider that didn’t deserve to be there.

Yet in the Press Room among my peers I was starting to feel like one of the guys and except for a few of us the room was filled with mostly men. By the end of the day, I no longer had any ill feelings as I guess it was just a matter of being cautious. Perhaps there are a number of people who don’t really come to work but rather to get a chance to get a front row seat for the race. With computer and camera in tow, it was pretty obvious I was not there for the ride and as I started to meet some of my old friends it really became quite enjoyable.

Brad Telias has been to 41 Belmont Stakes in a row. His part-time endeavor is being the racing voice on CBS Radio (880) in New York for 17 years now and he can tell you anything and everything you want to know about a horse, jockey, owner or trainer. He was my encyclopedia at the track this year for my fact checking as I didn’t want the faded memories from the years I’d been away from racing to impact on my accuracy. Telias, who lives in Manhattan, is a wealth of racing knowledge.

Announcer Tom Durkin took over the microphone at the Belmont Breakfast as well, interviewing Nick Zito, who trains Indy’s Storm, Andromeda’s Hero and Pinpoint; Giacomo’s trainer John Shireffs; Sal Russo, trainer of Reverberate and Tim Ritchey, trainer of Afleet Alex.