Just received my Belmont tickets in the mail. The ensuing giddiness was childlike and refreshing. I haven't been this excited to receive something in the mail in a long time. And it's not like I was expecting them or waiting for them. The unexpectedness made it all that more enjoyable to receive the eight reserved 3rd Floor Grandstand seats. The NYRA did manage to leave out one parking pass (General) that I had ordered and paid for. I'm sure they'll just send me a new one. They're probably printing those things like a South America dictatorship.

Going to The Belmont is forcing me to root for Street Sense in the Preakness. This is a weird feeling because I have absolutely no faith in this horse and am more excited to bet against him then bet on him. Currently it's 50-50 that I'll make a wager on the race because of these mixed emotions. Hosting seven family members is a big day for me and the entire clan. We don't get to do a lot of these gatherings, so it would really be an experience if there were to be sports history on the line.


One final kudos to the NYRA for giving us 4 seats in Row B and 4 seats in Row A, seats 1-4. I wasn't sure if they would and I didn't request it, so I was hoping they would. If we were 8 in a row, I would have been disappointed, but it would not ruin anything about the day. This arrangement however, is near perfect.