Enjoy a Belmont Breeze at the Stakes

This post is over a month late, but I want to complete my series talking about the Triple Crown and the races' drinks (here are the first and second parts). The Belmont Stakes is the longest of the three Triple Crown races at 1.5 miles (12 furlongs). This year was the 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes and occurred at Belmont Park in New York. The Run for the Carnations as it is called is older than either the Derby or the Preakness.

Official Recipe
This is the recipe as it was listed on the official website and the way it was made at 2010's Belmont Stakes.

1.5 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
2 oz Lemonade
1 oz Pomegranate juice

Shake vigorously with ice and serve in a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with red cherry or lemon twist.

Original Recipe
The recipe above is not the original recipe for a Belmont Breeze. The drink was originally created for the race and debuted at the 1998 race. The recipe below is from Kingcocktail.com, the website of Dale DeGroff. I am inclined to give this recipe creditability, since Dale did invent the Belmont Breeze.

1 1/2 ounces Makers Mark Bourbon
1/2 ounce Dry Sack Sherry
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 simple syrup
Splash fresh orange juice
Splash cranberry juice
5 mint leaves
1 mint sprig
1 orange zest

Assemble the first six ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with orange peel and mint sprig.

Another Variation
Somehow people have contrived another recipe. This is copied from another site. When I made the drink last year at home this is how I made it.

1 1/2 oz. Seagrams 7
3/4 oz. Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup
1 1/2 oz. Fresh Orange juice
1 1/2 oz. Cranberry juice
1 oz. of soda
1 oz. of 7up
fresh strawberry
lemon wedge
(you may substitute 1 oz. of Sweet & Sour mix for the lemon juice and simple syrup although fresh ingredients are best)

Shake first 6 ingredients with ice and top with half 7up and half soda, approximately one ounce of each. Garnish with fresh strawberry, a mint sprig, and a lemon wedge.

I have not tried all of these variations. If you are interested in a Belmont Breeze I would suggest you go with whichever recipe you like best. As long as you understand the origin (original recipe, one used in 2010, etc.) it should be fine.

White Carnation

This was the official drink of the Belmont until it was displaced by the Belmont Breeze in 1998. The great thing is almost everyone agrees on this recipe.

2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
1 splash Cream
2 oz Orange Juice
Club Soda

Stir and pour over ice. Garnish with orange slice.