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Belmont Park is unique in many ways, especially concerning its showcase race that's nearly three decades older than the racetrack.

In 1902, a syndicate headed by August Belmont II and Secretary of the Navy William C. Whitney were looking for suitable land on Long Island, New York, to build an elaborate track modeled after great European race courses.

The choice: about 650 acres in a community bordering Queens and Nassau counties known as Foster's Meadows. The land, purchased from Dutch settlers in 1650 by brothers Christopher and Thomas Foster, became part of the village renamed Elmont in 1882.

In 1903, construction began on a new track financed by the Westchester Racing Association. Two years later the facility hosted the Belmont Stakes for an almost-uninterrupted run.

The third leg of the Triple Crown was first staged at a track in the Bronx built by flamboyant financier Leonard W. Jerome and well-heeled friends, including Belmont's father, a banker.

The opening day crowd at Jerome Park on Sept. 25, 1866, included Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and members of New York's fashionable society. It was the first track to attract women in large numbers. Even the horses were chic - ribbons of owners' colors were braided into their manes and tails.

Jerome and Belmont also founded the American Jockey Club, which later evolved into the Jockey Club. It was said of the pair at the time, "People like Belmont and Jerome do not enter society, they create it as they go along."

Jerome Park was an English-style track that required runners to negotiate three turns because of a dip in mid-backstretch while racing clockwise.

On June 19, 1867, a stakes named for Jerome's closest friend was first staged. The Belmont went to the filly Ruthless.

When the track closed 22 years later to make way for a reservoir needed by the New York City water supply system, the Belmont Stakes moved to Morris Park in the Bronx for 15 years.

Since 1905, the race was held at Belmont Park except on two occasions. In 1911-12, anti-betting legislation passed in New York State closed the track and canceled the race. In 1963-67, Aqueduct hosted the race while Belmont Park was rebuilt.

Belmont Stakes traditions range from the old to the new.

The giant 300-year-old white pine in the paddock is featured in the track's logo.

One tradition lost to modern times is the winner's colors being painted on the picket fence of Esposito's Tavern near the track until it became a church.

In 1921, the first Belmont run counter-clockwise went to Grey Lag.

The Belmont is sometimes known as the "Run for the Carnations." That's because a blanket of white carnations, from 300 to 400, is draped over the winner's shoulders. The flowers, glued on a green velveteen cloth, come from California or Bogotá, Columbia.

The Belmont is sometimes known as the "Test of the Champions." That's because it is 1 ½ miles, the longest of the three Triple Crown events.

The official Belmont song "Sidewalks of New York" was replaced in 1997 by "New York, New York" made famous by Frank Sinatra.

That same year track officials added a cast iron horse and jockey four-feet high in the saddling area. Both are painted the colors of each year's winner.

In 1998, the Belmont Breeze was made official drink of the race. The main ingredients: whiskey and sherry.