Just a few dozen furlongs from Belmont Park lies the grave site of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the seventh grand rebbe of the Lubavitcher group of Hasidic Jews. Since Schneerson died in 1994, Jews from all over the world have made a pilgrimage to Montefiore Cemetery to pay homage to the charismatic rebbe.
Many visitors write notes on small pieces of paper and toss them onto his grave, believing that the rebbe will deliver the messages to God.
On Thursday, Schneerson’s grave had an unusual visitor.
Victor Espinoza, who was trying to win horse racing’s revered Triple Crown aboard American Pharoah on Saturday, paid his respects.