Belmont

The 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes will be held this afternoon, and that brings my mother to my mind. When she was alive, Mom would have made it a point to watch Belmont or any of the Triple Crown races on television. My mom was not a gambler, but she loved the horses, which she considered beautiful creatures. Why? Perhaps it was something in her Irish heritage. Who knows.

Mom took me to Belmont Park during my high school years. She wanted me to experience the venerable track, its lively color and visceral style. To make matters more interesting, Bernadette (a/k/a Mom) would put down two dollars on a horse. Her selection method ran to which color silks she preferred, and which horse seemed the most graceful. She had fun, and didn't worry about winning. She did yell, though, when the horses came into the home stretch.

I don't have a bettor's interest in this year's Belmont Stakes, and I won't. However, I'll watch the race and root for the Belmont Stakes to continue for years to come.

The photograph linked here was taken at Belmont in 1913, and is from the Library of Congress.