Horse Racing trips

[CBYRacer]

Hi everyone,

What might be some good 2-3 day high-level itineraries for a long-time horse racing fan that hasn't had an opportunity to see some of the major venues yet? Ideally would be a mix of track-visits, tours / history, farms, etc. Appreciate any ideas you might have on this. Thanks!

[ranchwest]

I think Santa Anita is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Should be plenty available to do in the area.

[classhandicapper]

Keeneland and Old Friends

[Boomer]

Here are two I have done.


1. Finger Lakes Races with a trip to the wineries


https://www.fingerlakes.org/things-to-do/wineries


Free samples from all wineries. Make sure you have a driver


2. Colonial Downs....especially if you like Turf Racing. They also have some great promotion days. Lots of fun.


And take a trip to nearby https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/

[lamboguy]

Here are two I have done.


1. Finger Lakes Races with a trip to the wineries


https://www.fingerlakes.org/things-to-do/wineries


Free samples from all wineries. Make sure you have a driver


2. Colonial Downs....especially if you like Turf Racing. They also have some great promotion days. Lots of fun.


And take a trip to nearby https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/those are 2 great trips, i like Delaware Park as well...

[Trackjudge]

Lexington KY


Keeneland meet Oct or April, visit a stud farm. Have breakfast at the track kitchen. Drive through the stud farm areas. Go to Midway KY and eat at Wallace Station. Visit Old Friends as mentioned above


Bourbon trail Woodford Reserve distillery.


Stay at an air bnb on a horse farm.

[Tom]

Nice roadtrip, Deleware Park, Parx, Penn National, Hershey's Chocolatetown, Laurel,(Pimlico if open).

I used to make that trip and add in Fort Eire, Batvia Downs, and FL to kick it off.

[CBYRacer]

These are great ideas, guys. Thanks so much!

[classhandicapper]

I did Finger Lakes and the wineries a few years back. That's a very good one.

I also wanted to do the CA fair tracks and wineries also, but I was heavily into the mule racing as part of it and they've discontinued it.

[westernmassbob]

Don’t understand why Saratoga hasn’t been mentioned but a lot to do in that area , Downtown Saratoga, performing arts center, museums , old friends Farm ,Lake George, casino, and of course the racetrack.

[wisconsin]

Finger Lakes - Sonnenberg Estate and gardens

Saratoga (too late to find a reasonably priced room)

Charles Town - Harper's Ferry - Laurel - Port of Baltimore - Fort McHenry

There are more, these were good ones I have personally done.

Bucket list - Colonial Downs - Williamsburg area

[Boomer]

Yep, Charles Town is a great diversion. And don't forget tubing on the Shenandoah to top off a great trip


https://www.shenandoahriveradventures.com/

[BarchCapper]

Haven't seen Monmouth mentioned, but it's an easy linkup with Penn, Parx, Del, Lrl/Pim.

You could say hello to the mountainman, Mark Patterson, by combining an evening at Mnr with a day at Presque Isle or Thistledown. Not too far a journey from those to Finger Lakes/Fort Erie as noted.

One of the best tools to use when planning a trip like this is the Equibase calendar - you can see what tracks are running on what days and figure out how best to string them together:

https://www.equibase.com/live.cfm

As a veteran of a number of these trips, most recently a Horseshoe Indy (they cancelled), Churchill (2x due to IND cancel), Belterra, Prairie Meadows - all the best to you for an enjoyable trip/trips!

[foregoforever]

If you're going to Lexington KY, check out the events calendar at the Kentucky Horse Park. They usually have things going on, particularly during the Keeneland meets. You can also say hello to Point Given and Funny Cide.

[Scanman]

Hi everyone,

What might be some good 2-3 day high-level itineraries for a long-time horse racing fan that hasn't had an opportunity to see some of the major venues yet? Ideally would be a mix of track-visits, tours / history, farms, etc. Appreciate any ideas you might have on this. Thanks!Where are you based? And at what time of the year do you want to travel?

August through the mid-Atlantic states offers alot of opportunities, as well as putting you in range of Saratoga.

September you could pair up Kentucky Downs and Fairmount Park (Fanduel).

In the winter, you could pair up a couple in Florida (Gulfstream) and Louisiana (Fair Grounds).

[biggestal99]

well my road trip would be.

delaware friday
friday night hotel jersey shore
monmouth saturday
saturday night hotel NYC
belmont sunday
sunday night hotel philadephia
parx monday

4 days 3 nights. tour of the midatlantic.

Allan

[MutuelClerk]

I worked in racing for 45 years and retired on Derby Day last year. All my road trips last summer and fall I went to race tracks. Saw Saratoga for the first time, awesome. Always loved Lexington, can't go wrong there. My favorite trip was the track that intrigued me most. Kentucky Downs. LOVED it. Hardly anyone there, easy to move around, if it's too hot go inside the casino for a bit. The oval is amazing being that close to it. And they obviously race for a ton of money. Hotels close, you can have a couple drinks and only drive 1.5 miles to hotel. I'm going again this year even with gas at 5.00 a gallon ( thanks uncle Joe).

[BarchCapper]

Where are you based? And at what time of the year do you want to travel?

August through the mid-Atlantic states offers alot of opportunities, as well as putting you in range of Saratoga.

September you could pair up Kentucky Downs and Fairmount Park (Fanduel).

In the winter, you could pair up a couple in Florida (Gulfstream) and Louisiana (Fair Grounds).

Not too far from Fair Grounds to add Delta Downs! Gulfstream/Tampa Bay/Fair Grounds/Delta Downs - and then really Sam Houston isn't that much further!

A winter run of Fair Grounds/Delta Downs/Sam Houston/Oaklawn could work also, without all those Florida miles.

[proximity]

Yep, Charles Town is a great diversion. And don't forget tubing on the Shenandoah to top off a great trip


https://www.shenandoahriveradventures.com/

this, although the only river i'll see is in their poker room!:D

imo a rite of passage for all mid-atlantic players is to do a timonium- charles town double!

for added bonus points and to get the feeling of retracing the footsteps of pace advantage legends like ronsmac and cj, i recommend staying at least one night at the turf motel (now rodeway inn)!

[geroge.burns99]

Finger Lakes - Sonnenberg Estate and gardens

Saratoga (too late to find a reasonably priced room)

Charles Town - Harper's Ferry - Laurel - Port of Baltimore - Fort McHenry

There are more, these were good ones I have personally done.

Bucket list - Colonial Downs - Williamsburg area

I usually stay in Albany

plenty of reasonable hotels & places to eat

only 30 minutes from track

[cj]

this, although the only river i'll see is in their poker room!:D

imo a rite of passage for all mid-atlantic players is to do a timonium- charles town double!

for added bonus points and to get the feeling of retracing the footsteps of pace advantage legends like ronsmac and cj, i recommend staying at least one night at the turf motel (now rodeway inn)!

I'll be there for the CT Classic in August!

[wisconsin]

I usually stay in Albany

plenty of reasonable hotels & places to eat

only 30 minutes from track


Stayed in Troy and Johnstown the times I went before.

[alhattab]

Hi everyone,

What might be some good 2-3 day high-level itineraries for a long-time horse racing fan that hasn't had an opportunity to see some of the major venues yet? Ideally would be a mix of track-visits, tours / history, farms, etc. Appreciate any ideas you might have on this. Thanks!

Lexington and Saratoga have it all and both are ideal choices. Monmouth is also a great choice especially if you like the beach, live music (the Blu Grotto restuarant adjacent to the track, the shore area and Asbury Park are all good options) and even a little history from both Revolutionary War (Battle of Freehold, Battle
Of Trenton) and WWII (there is an old fort on Sandy Hook and separately a weapons battery nearby that formed part of the US Atlantic defenses). Other racing options like Del, Parx depending when you go. Feel free to DM if you want more.

[CBYRacer]

Where are you based? And at what time of the year do you want to travel?

August through the mid-Atlantic states offers alot of opportunities, as well as putting you in range of Saratoga.

September you could pair up Kentucky Downs and Fairmount Park (Fanduel).

In the winter, you could pair up a couple in Florida (Gulfstream) and Louisiana (Fair Grounds).

Midwest-based, Scanman. These are good ideas. Thanks much!

[CBYRacer]

Wow. Appreciate all the great ideas, guys! Pace Advantage is a great place! Thanks for all your input, everyone!