Triple Crown: Belmont Stakes

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The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies carry 121 pounds (55 kg). The race is the third and final leg of the US Triple Crown, following five weeks after the Kentucky Derby, and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes.

The attendance at the Belmont Stakes ranks fourth in North America and usually surpasses the attendance of all other stakes races, including the Breeders' Cup. The attendance at the Belmont Stakes typically trails only the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Kentucky Oaks. -per wikipedia

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Triple Crown Winners
1919 - Sir Barton
1930 - Gallant Fox
1935 - Omaha
1937 - War Admiral
1941 - Whirlaway
1934 - Count Fleet
1946 - Assault
1948 - Citation
1973 - Secretariat
1977 - Seattle Slew
1978 - Affirmed
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Since the last two races were won by different horses, a new Triple Crown Winner addition to the list above remains open. Until next year...

Kentucky Derby 2011 winner is Animal Kingdom
Preakness Stakes 2011 winner is Shackleford
Belmont Stakes 2011 winner is Ruler on Ice

--~ Book Giveaway ~--

The Highest Stakes
by Emery Lee
Win a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: June 19, 2011

TO DO:
Complete the task on all 3 Triple Crown posts:

June 11: Belmont Stakes

Task3: As Manhattan is near this race venue, send me a link to a picture of a popular place to visit in the big apple (New York, NY) along with the name.

May 7: Kentucky Derby

May 21: Preakness Stakes

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

Participant entries:

AimeeKay: Central Park Zoo


debbie: American Museum of Natural History (from 1910)


Giada: Central Park


IdentitySeeker: Times Square


kahcherub: The Rockefeller Center sounds great, with the Observation Deck, Radio City Music Hall, etc.


krysykat: Belvedere Castle in Central Park


Sakira: Brooklyn Bridge


show me yours

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* image source triple crown champions

* part of ...and a bottle o'rum event

Triple Crown: Preakness

Captain Peg
for Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race 1-3/16 mile (1.91 km) thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses, held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.

Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg); fillies 121 lb (55 kg).

The Preakness Stakes has been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a blanket of Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta, the state flower of Maryland) is traditionally placed around the winner's neck. - per wikipedia
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Will you be watching today to see if Animal Kingdom takes the race?

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--~ Book Giveaway ~--

The Highest Stakes
by Emery Lee
Avast, me hearties!

Win a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: June 19, 2011

TO DO:
Complete the task on all 3 Triple Crown posts:

Task2: If you were going to send a horse to the races what would he look like? Send me a link to a picture of a horse and your name for it. Be as fanciful or serious as you like. sample: see my Pirate horse above.

Task1: May 7: Kentucky Derby

Task3: June 11: Belmont Stakes

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

Participant entries:

AimeeKay's horse: Moon Runner


Debbie's horse: The Shadow of Midnight


Giada's horse: Te.spiezzo.in.due
Translation: I break you in two (sentece from Rocky IV - Ivan Drago to Rocky Balboa)....he is very exuberant, isn't he?


identityseeker's horse: Puck


Karla's horse: Messenger of Death


krysykat's horse: The Cheval of Ussuri


Sakira's horse: Black Beauty


vampire princess' horse: Black Death


show me yours
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* image source pirate horse by WSTopDeck

* U P D A T E: Preakness Stakes 2011 winner is Shackleford.

* part of ...and a bottle o'rum event

Triple Crown: Kentucky Derby

Pirate Hat for
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival.

The race is one and a quarter mile (2 km) at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57.2 kg) and fillies 121 pounds (54.9 kg).

The race is known in the United States as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" or "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate duration, and is also called "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the winner.

It is the first leg of the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and is followed by the Preakness Stakes then the Belmont Stakes. The horse must win all three to win the Triple Crown. - per wikipedia

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--~ Book Giveaway ~--

The Highest Stakes
by Emery Lee

Description from the amazon:
WHAT WOULD YOU WAGER FOR LOVE???
In the high stakes gentleman's world of 18th century horseracing, when the blood of the "desert kings" ruled the English turf, a hero returns from war to claim the girl he has loved since he first spied her riding hell-for-leather over the Doncaster heath. Determined to have her at any cost, he will risk everything.

A story of star-crossed lovers and horseracing, THE HIGHEST STAKES transports the reader to 18th century England, an era infamous for corruption, arranged marriages, and high stakes gambling; when racing and breeding became the obsession of the uppermost elite, and a match race might replace a duel in settling a point of honor.

Through the fictional love story of Robert Devington and Charlottte Wallace, a tale of drama, danger, thwarted love, and retribution unfurles...

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Avast, me hearties!

Win a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: June 19 --> extended to June 26, 2011

TO DO:
Complete the task on all 3 Triple Crown posts:

May 7: Kentucky Derby

Task1: The Kentucky Derby is also known for its fashion and most of all hats!

Send me a link to a hat you would pick for the event - be as fanciful, outlandish and whimsical as you like.

Task2: May 21: Preakness Stakes

Task3: June 11: Belmont Stakes

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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Participant entries:

Audra's erruption hat...


Juju's pirate hat...


After the race, Juju swaps her hat for this...


Kulsuma picked this one over Princess Beatrice's Philip Treacy hat…


krysykat liked this one…


but krysykat found these two that were just as appealing…




debbie chose this Christina A. Moore hat...


AimeeKay likes this one...


Then AimeeKay found this one and abandoned the first...


Giada picks this one...


I picked one from Diana's selections, close enough to a mint julep...


Karla's likes this one...


vampire princess selects this one...


IdentitySeeker loves blue and would wear this vibrant and attractive one...


Sakira would wear...


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* BE ON THE LOOKOUT for the Mucho Macho Man he's known as The Zombie Horse - he just may take the race!

* image source hat

* U P D A T E: Kentucky Derby 2011 winner is Animal Kingdom with Nehro at second and Mucho Macho Man in third.

* part of ...and a bottle o'rum event