Belmont Stakes Trivia

 With the Belmont only a few days away, and with the distinct possibility of yet another Triple Crown winner here's some Belmont trivia to take with you to the neighborhood Belmont Bash.

(Secretariat's Win at Belmont)

Did you know........
1) In the early years of the Belmont, the race was run clockwise (as races are run in England) over a fish hook-shaped course which included part of the current training track. The first counterclockwise Belmont Stakes was run in 1921.

2) Trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons saddled father and son Triple Crown winners -- Gallant Fox (1930) and Omaha (1935).

3) Five times the Belmont Stakes went off with only two horses in the field -- 1887, 1888, 1892, 1910 and 1920, when Man o' War won.

4) The largest field for the Belmont Stakes was 15 horses in 1983 when Caveat defeated Slew o' Gold.

5)  The white carnation is the traditional flower of the Belmont Stakes. The blanket of 300-400 carnations worn by the winner takes 10 hours to put together. The flowers are shipped in from either California or Bogota, Colombia.


6) Easy Goer's victory was the second-fastest (2:26) in Belmont history. Only Secretariat (2:24 in 1973) was faster.