In the salty sweat that gleams under our perfectly elaborate hat, me and my prep school friends thrive at the deluxe and trendsetting Belmont Horse Races. We took a car from Uptown to Penn station and rode in a tacky little train to a place I have never been, Long Island. Should I call this the happiest place on earth? Defiantly not. But today, Long Island, is dare do I say it- classy. Saturday, June 11th at around 1:30 p.m., the 148th Belmont Stakes marks the one and only day my Instagram and Snapchat followers would kill to be in Long Island. They are envious of my similarity to Serena van der Woodsen, wearing an all-white lace romper and peaking under a black brim, like Beyoncé in Formation.
However, this is not me (I secretly wish it was).
I AM… a college student who feels very out of place. One that is dying for a drink but the cheapest cocktail is $11 and in my brain that’s 5 loads of laundry. Standing directly next to my alter ego we both cheer on number 4, and I quickly realize that while I’m nervous about my $5 bet, she bet $500… maybe a little different? The Belmont Horse Races. Classy. A little trashy. But, OH, what an event it is…
I arrived around the Belmont which in Queens. The train took us directly to the field, which was very convenient for my flowy dress and blistered feet. From there, we meet up with a friend’s boyfriend and he showed us the ropes. We first went to the beer garden. However, after looking at the prices ($11 for beer, $13 for wine, $15 for a mixed drink, and $17 for champagne) we decided the food truck area was a better bet. So we walked over and began to see the culture of the event itself. The Belmont outside area is filled with mega screens which project the races, people lounging on picnic blankets in the grass, and a lot of cigar smoke. It is very New York summer time. The Belmont is such a big deal because it is the last of three major horse races which leads up to the potential of a “triple-crown horse”: Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont. Last year, it was a triple-crown horse and was explained to me to be a mayhem (but personally, this year seemed like a lot)!
I was really surprised by the range of people there. Of course, you have your sloppier college students who are using their parent’s money to gamble and drink. Then, you have your elite bachelorettes and bachelors whose outfit is perfectly executed. And finally, you have the rich. I didn’t really get a good glimpse at the last group, because in the nicest way, I was a peasant and was separated from their presence before I even got there. I was field level, or a $25 general admissions ticket, while they were higher up with their binoculars, screening for their million-dollar horse. It was a different lifestyle, but to be honest, I was completely okay with it; I was completely content with my social standing.
The food there was probably one of my favorite parts. I was surrounded by delicious smells from various countries: French, Taiwanese, Italian. Personally, I went with the not-so-traditional Lebanese and had rice, hummus, Makenek (Lebanese sausage), and pita. The service was quick and friendly and the food was amazing. All the food trucks were. The food truck area and atmosphere added a nice urban touch to a sophisticated environment.
I didn’t, and in a way still don’t, realize the nature of the horse races. The Belmont horse race is more than watching a talented Jockey and cheering on a swift and toned horse. The Belmont is a lifestyle, a marked event on the calendar, a privilege. I was grateful, to say the least, that I attended this event. I did feel a little out of place but it was a fun get-a-way from reality. Next year, I plan to re-attend, and really excel my alter ego attitude.
