Gourmet mixologist, cocktail expert and the King of Cocktails Dale DeGroff honed his skills behind some famous bars, including the one at The Rainbow Room.

He's authored two books -- The Craft of the Cocktail and The Essential Cocktail -- and acts as founding President of The Museum of the American Cocktail -- the first of its kind.

The Belmont Breeze, his invention, is one of the great contributions Dale has made. Today, the drink is the official cocktail of the Belmont Stakes -- and it's delish!

With the Belmont Stakes this Saturday, we caught up with the expert to ask him about the whiskey drink and more.


What happened in 1998 that brought about the replacement of the White Carnation as the official drink of the Belmont Stakes?
Neglect -- the drink was not being made.

What made you want to improve on the White Carnation?
The drink was a cream drink using a value product called Peachtree Schnapps and I wanted to create a drink more in the racetrack tradition -- whiskey based.

You feature four drinks as potential race track drinks on your Web site. Which one is your favorite?
Whiskey Smash -- Although this is not being promoted at any track, it is the one of my drinks most suited for that.

Unfortubnately I came up with it after I had created the Belmony breeze and it was too late to use it at Belmont

WHISKEY SMASH
(Dale DeGroff original)
1 1/2 ounces Makers Mark Bourbon
1 ounce Cointreau
3 lemon pieces (cut a lemon in half and then quarter one of the halves, use three of the quarters)
5 mint leaves
Lemon wedge for garnish
1 mint sprig for garnish

Preparation: Muddle the lemon pieces, mint leaves and the Cointreau in the bottom of a boston shaker glass. Add the bourbon and shake well with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lemon wedge.

Which of the three races in the Triple Crown do you think throws the biggest party? The second biggest party?
Churchill Downs, of course. Then Belmont.

Preakness is struggling. With gambling being offered at tracks in neighboring states, the Maryland Track is suffering

Will you be making a bet on a horse this Saturday? Who?
I am box three horses in an exacta: Mine That Bird and the two Nick Zito horses, Miner's Escape and Brave Victory, the Zito horses are relative long shots but they are hometown horses and they know the track ... I like to box favorites with long shots so there is a chance at some real money.

If the Zito horses come in one and two, I will be a hot sh*t for a couple days.

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