Belmont Jewel

The Belmont Jewel might just be the jewel in the Triple Crown.

The Belmont Stakes is known as both the oldest and final leg of the Triple Crown. Each year, three thoroughbred horse races are held including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. If one horse wins all three races in the same year, they’re named a Triple Crown winner. So far, only 13 horses in all of history have managed to snag that title.

But outside of the actual horse racing, the most exciting part of the Triple Crown races are the accompanying cocktails. While the Kentucky Derby has long laid claim to the Mint Julep, the Preakness Stakes has been a bit of a hot mess with its official cocktail, the Black-Eyed Susan, and its unofficial cocktail, the Preakness. However, the story of Belmont’s cocktail is a bit more complicated.

Despite the fact that the Belmont Stakes is only about 8 years older than the Kentucky Derby, they’ve had a much harder time locking in their cocktail. Today, the Belmont Jewel is the official drink and is a refreshing mixture of bourbon, lemonade, and pomegranate juice. It’s a recipe that feels like it could have been invented a century ago, but was only locked in around 2011.

The first cocktail for the Belmont Stakes was called the White Carnation, named for the flowers that the winner receives. First debuted in 1997, this version called for vodka, peach schnapps, and orange juice to be mixed together with cream – not the best combination for a hot June day. The drink lasted only one year before being replaced by the Belmont Breeze. This iteration was certainly fun and fruity with bourbon, sherry, and three types of juice, but the long ingredients list may have been its demise. 

The current recipe is now the longest running version of the Belmont Stakes cocktail and it’s definitely the one we’ll be sticking with. It’s the perfect drink to sip and (hopefully) watch one horse make history.