In a pathetic attempt to be hip (hop), the New York Racing Association has given Old Blue Eyes the boot. They replaced Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” as the song played before today’s Belmont Stakes with “Empire State of Mind,” written by rapper Jay-Z and recorded by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.
In its defense, NYRA said that teenage recording artist Jasmine Villegas will sing the Keys’ portion of “Empire State of Mind.”
Keys’ portion is a lot tamer than Jay-Z’s lyrics, which contain several four-letter words and three uses of the N-word.
NYRA began playing “New York, New York” before the Belmont in 1997, when it replaced “Sidewalks of New York,” the Belmont anthem during the glory years of racing.
The change is being made because “Empire State of Mind” has become a “quintessential 21st century theme song for New York City,” according to NYRA marketing director Neema Ghazi. “It’s inspirational and resonates with those who aspire to achieve great things living in the world’s greatest city.”