Horse Play

A day of revelry awaited all who trekked to Belmont Park for the third leg of the Triple Crown this past Saturday. While there was no possibility of a Triple Crown victor at this 141st running of the Belmont Stakes, there was still plenty of drama to be had.

At 1.5 miles, the Belmont Stakes is the longest of the Triple Crown racetracks and, thus, the most challenging both for horse and jockey. Therein lay the drama of this particular afternoon—this race was a potential historic Triple Crown win for jockey Calvin Borel, who was riding Mine That Bird.

To witness this epic feat, some Manhattanites (yours truly included) attempted to recreate the fashionable grandeur ordinarily reserved for the Kentucky Derby and Royal Ascot.

Sadly, hats were few and far between, but I did notice a marked increase in women donning their summer chapeaux for the occasion this year. It's my fervent hope that one day New York not only rivals Kentucky in its spectacle of millinery talent but actually becomes a contender with Ascot as the choice of venue for debuts of millinery genius.

But back to the race! Sadly, this year's Belmont Stakes dashed all dreams of gaining entry into the record books. Calvin Borel and his much-favored Mine That Bird came in third place after being beaten by a late surge by Summer Bird, a horse with long odds stacked against it. For video, click here and for more pics, click here.

Our group of racing aficionados is nonetheless 2 for 3 on this year's Triple Crown races, with Jessica Shrier having bet on Summer Bird and Daniel Ezra scoring an even-longer-odds win by putting his money on Mine that Bird at the Kentucky Derby. —Lizzie da Trindade-Asher

For more photos, click here.

Better than Ezra

TriBeCa Nightclub Duane Park was sizzling last evening, with tasteful stripteases by Pandora, (pictured left) and Amber Ray and the trumpet sounds and ivory ticklings of a special Saturday-night cabaret act. (The restaurant recently began offering performances on select Saturdays to meet the great demand for weekend shows.) Among the patrons enjoying the night were banker Daniel Ezra and his wife, Lizzie da Trindade-Asher, who gathered more than two dozen of their closest friends on the occasion of Daniel's birthday. Many members of this very international crowd had traveled quite a distance to wish Daniel well, including from as far afield as Sweden. Another couple jetted in from Puerto Rico. After all the songs were sung and cigars had been passed around, the party people decamped to Kiss & Fly, where a little of both took place. The night finally wrapped near sunrise. All in all, a birthday to remember.

For more photos, click here.