The White Carnation (vodka, peach schnapps, and orange juice) was the official drink of the Belmont Stakes until 1997 or 1998, when it was replaced by the Belmont Breeze. The carnation is the official flower of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of racing’s triple crown that takes place each June in Belmont Park.

The White Carnation hasn’t been missed by many; a 2005 article below calls it “the nigh undrinkable white carnation.”


Wikipedia: Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in the hamlet of Elmont, New York in Nassau County, Long Island in the Town of Hempstead. Its mile-and-a-half (2.4 km) main track is the largest dirt course in Thoroughbred racing. It first opened May 4, 1905.

History and Information
It is world-famous as the home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown.

Belmont is known as The Championship Track because most every major champion in racing history since the early 20th century has competed on the racecourse—including each of the 11 Triple Crown winners.

In addition to its importance to racing, “Beautiful Belmont Park” is often called one of the best-landscaped venues in American sports—especially because of the stately backyard park behind the grandstand, which includes the paddock in which the horses are saddled before each race. The backyard and backstretch are notable for their huge, attractive trees and landscaping, and the infield is dominated by two picturesque lakes.

New York (NY) Times
BELMONT STAKES; Magnet for Fans and Dreams
By GERALD ESKENAZI
Published: June 7, 1987
(...)
The hum of the mutuel machines, the sun on the green grass, the sales of the day’s special beverage called a white carnation (orange juice, vodka and peach schnapps) were a symbol of revival to Clem Imperato, vice president of operations for the New York Racing Association, which operates Belmont Park. For years, New York racing has been attempting to widen its circle of fans.

New York (NY) Times
BELMONT STAKES; Dismaying Moan Ends Belmont Gala
By GERALD ESKENAZI
Published: June 11, 1989
At one of the track’s bars, Dave Costigan of Queens Village was selling the official drink, a Carnation, named for the race’s official flower.

‘’This crowd orders a lot of Carnations - vodka, peach schnapps and 7-Up,’’ he said.

New York (NY) Times
THE SUMMER COOK; The Appetites Are Nearing the Gate
By JULIE POWELL
Published: June 8, 2005
(...)
Although Belmont Park lies just outside the city limits, it is quintessentially New York. And as the newest of the homes of the three legs of the Triple Crown, it has managed to remain the least fraught with grand tradition. At Churchill Downs, in Louisville, you can be pretty sure of what’s being served in those mint-bedecked silver cups, and at Pimlico, in Baltimore, you know you will eat Maryland crab cakes and quaff black-eyed Susans.

Belmont’s few rituals do not loom so large and mint julepy. The only food associated with the track is Manhattan clam chowder, a dish peculiarly unsuited to either summertime or railside eating. And few people have heard of either of the drinks associated with the Belmont: the white carnation, a concoction calling for a splash of cream, which has an unpleasant tendency to curdle when added to the vodka, orange juice and peach schnapps; and the Belmont breeze, a fruity, sherry-laced drink invented in 1998 by Dale DeGroff, then head bartender at the Rainbow Room.

(We made these cocktails for our last trip to the track and so can say with authority that although the Belmont breeze, which tastes like a refined trashcan punch, represents a significant improvement over the nigh undrinkable white carnation, neither has much hope of achieving the status of the mint julep, their Kentucky Derby sister.)

National Bartenders Cocktail Recipes
White Carnation February 19, 2008
2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Peach schnapps
2 oz Orange juice
Soda water
Splash of Cream
Stir and pour over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with orange slice.

Baltimore (MD) Sun—Bill Ordine blog (June 5, 2008)
Belmont party tips, or rather tippling
(...)
Traditional cocktails for big horse races are ... well, traditional. The Derby has its Mint Julep and the Preakness its Black-eyed Susan. But what about the Belmont?

Well, according to About.com, the current official drink of the third jewel of the Triple Crown is the Belmont Breeze, at least since 1998. Before that, it was the White Carnation. Here are the recipes for both from About.com. As always, enjoy responsibly.

We were reminded that the Belmont Breeze was concocted by famous New York City mixologist Dale DeGroff.

White Carnation
Ingredients:
2 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Peach Schnapps
2 oz. Orange Juice
Soda
Splash of Cream
Crushed ice
Preparation:
Stir liquors and soda together and pour over ice in a highball glass. Splash cream over top then garnish with an orange slice.