Your Favorite track to visit?

[tzipi]

First I have to say,God Bless John Imbriale for standing in that booth at Aqueduct calling races. Does'nt look like safest place on earth :D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/festin2008/3294433912/in/set-72157612016191827/

Anyway maybe besides you own track what's your favorite track you would'nt mind going to every weekend if it was possible. I've been to about 12 tracks but BESIDES my own(Belmont) I think I enjoyed Monmouth the most and would be my favorite choice.

[CBedo]

Keeneland!

[Charli125]

Keeneland!

I second that!

[illinoisbred]

Fair Grounds

[CBedo]

Fair GroundsFair Grounds during Jazz Fest for sure! :)

[cosmo96]

What's my favorite track? That's a difficult question. I love Keenland, but it's too crowded, and the college students get in the way of everything. There is no racebook unless you have a lot of money. It's hard to get into a restaurant. But, it's beautiful, and the best long shot track.

Arlington is super. Everything is accessable: food, racebook, cleanliness, mostly serious players, plenty of room, but three hundred miles away from where I live. Churchill is the same, but 150 miles away, and small fields.

Saratoga is in a class by itself, but no racebook unless you rich and six hundred miles away.

Many of you may disagree with me, but all things considered, I like River Downs. It's home. It's where my parents introduced me to horseracing. It's not a glamor spot, but it is cozy. The food is good. Racebook is open for all. It has a lot of charactor. It's very clean, but a little rough around the edges like a race track should be. After the races I always go to AJ's on Kellogg Avenue.
Again, a little rough around the edges, but a real racing atmosphere, great food.

[Humph]

Saratoga is a special place , imo. Away from these shores , York in England is special ,too.

[Robert Goren]

What's my favorite track? That's a difficult question. I love Keenland, but it's too crowded, and the college students get in the way of everything. There is no racebook unless you have a lot of money. It's hard to get into a restaurant. But, it's beautiful, and the best long shot track.

Arlington is super. Everything is accessable: food, racebook, cleanliness, mostly serious players, plenty of room, but three hundred miles away from where I live. Churchill is the same, but 150 miles away, and small fields.

Saratoga is in a class by itself, but no racebook unless you rich and six hundred miles away.

Many of you may disagree with me, but all things considered, I like River Downs. It's home. It's where my parents introduced me to horseracing. It's not a glamor spot, but it is cozy. The food is good. Racebook is open for all. It has a lot of charactor. It's very clean, but a little rough around the edges like a race track should be. After the races I always go to AJ's on Kellogg Avenue.
Again, a little rough around the edges, but a real racing atmosphere, great food. I love drunken college kids betting on the ponies. I hate mostly serious players.

[miesque]

My favorite tracks to visit are the three SoCal tracks, Arlington Park and Keeneland. I love visiting Hollywood Park, Del Mar and Santa Anita because I always have a great time. Perhaps its the palm trees and brilliant sunshine, but I feel so relaxed when watching and wagering on the card from the Turf Club at those tracks. Arlington Park is a very comfortable, classy, well run, immaculate, modern track which provides a first class experience that I wish more tracks would emulate. Keeneland is absolutely beautiful and as soon as you turn into the tree lined entrance you know you are someplace special. Keeneland is the only track I have been to that is even close to rivaling Arlington Park in terms of customer service and customer service is a big issue for me. (I have a range I use to compare tracks and Arlington is the track that denotes the upper end of the range).

[point given]

The SPA ! Wish i could go there for the entire meet. It never gets old. :ThmbUp:

[fmolf]

The SPA ! Wish i could go there for the entire meet. It never gets old. :ThmbUp:
Saratoga....then monmouth....i heard that the golf course at delaware park is challenging as well as beautiful.Hope to make a trip their this spring for a morning round of golf and races in the afternoon.Belmont and aqueduct is where i have my best success.

[hazzardm]

It may not be the prettiest town or nicest track, but Louisville and Churchill during Derby week has an atmosphere that is hard to match.

[proximity]

1. charles town.... would go more sundays if they'd wise up and have a later post time, but still my favorite.

2. delaware park.... my 2010 racing resolution will be to start going to their handicapping tournaments again.

[BELMONT 6-6-09]

Saratoga , to me, is heaven on earth, however, I have not been to Keeneland and DelMar etc. Honestly Belmont on a nice summer morning is great too.

[GaryG]

Hialeah (when it was open) and Del Mar (before the 90s renovation)....but for now Fair Grounds.

[Java Gold@TFT]

#1 Saratoga - nothing comes remotely close in the States

#2 - vacant

#3 - Keeneland
#3A - Belmont

#4 - I haven't visited yet but I would like to go to the Fair Grounds and Oaklawn in the next few years.

[alhattab]

I have 2- Monmouth Park and Saratoga. The whole Saratoga experience is completely unique. 24/7 horse racing, very good (used to be great) racing- still the highest quality- great venue. An absolute party.

I am fortunate to live 1 mile from Monmouth. You think I might be a little jaded as a result but I really believe it is a great venue. Unique in its own right in terms of geography, vibe, roominess, BYO, etc. and there's even close to 10,000 people there almost every Sat and Sun so the is some enthusiasm in the place. Racing could use an upgrade but plenty of simo action and easy to get to TVs to watch, plenty of room. Getting a few decent big screens in the infield would be a huge upgrade that should have been permanent after the BC.

[point given]

I have 2- Monmouth Park and Saratoga. The whole Saratoga experience is completely unique. 24/7 horse racing, very good (used to be great) racing- still the highest quality- great venue. An absolute party.

I am fortunate to live 1 mile from Monmouth. You think I might be a little jaded as a result but I really believe it is a great venue. Unique in its own right in terms of geography, vibe, roominess, BYO, etc. and there's even close to 10,000 people there almost every Sat and Sun so the is some enthusiasm in the place. Racing could use an upgrade but plenty of simo action and easy to get to TVs to watch, plenty of room. Getting a few decent big screens in the infield would be a huge upgrade that should have been permanent after the BC.

Agree on Monmouth. They only had a big infield TV screen for Haskell day, no excuse for being so cheap for this basic amenity for on track race goers who aren't inside in simulcasting tv land. Also believe they should go to a 4 day week to beefup their field size per race, as there are too many 6 horse races and NJ breds.

[cj's dad]

#1- Oaklawn - food, atmosphere and after the races hang outs
#2- Keeneland - atmosphere and pretty women
#3- Santa Anita - the San Gabriel mountains in the background

[tzipi]

Aqueduct- For atmosphere and beauty.

[strapper]

Of the ones I've visited for live racing it's Oaklawn Park; Keeneland looked special but no racing when I was there.

[CBedo]

My girlfriend just voted for Santa Anita due to the beauty of the mountains, the great weather, and one of the best cheese plates she's ever had!

[thespaah]

:1: Saratoga..Hands down..I love that place. It is a unique experience. And the eye candy is second to none.
:2: And since I visited Keeneland for the first time three weeks ago, that one is a close second.
:3: Belmont...Nothing like a sunny fall day at Big Sandy.
:4: Monmouth. NJ's version of Saratoga lite
I have been to probably 20 different tracks mostly on the east coast.
A number of them are now gone..
One is being renovated for a comeback( Hialeah Park)

[Run Nicholas Run]

the MEADOWLANDS.

[miesque]

My girlfriend just voted for Santa Anita due to the beauty of the mountains, the great weather, and one of the best cheese plates she's ever had!


I know the following sounds trivial but since you mentioned cheese plates and the subject did come up at Frontrunner yesterday, I have to mention that Santa Anita has a fantastic Champagne selection by track standards and it is VERY reasonably priced. They are by far number one on that front. :cool:

[CBedo]

I know the following sounds trivial but since you mentioned cheese plates and the subject did come up at Frontrunner yesterday, I have to mention that Santa Anita has a fantastic Champagne selection by track standards and it is VERY reasonably priced. They are by far number one on that front. :cool:She agrees with you completely!

[jballscalls]

Santa Anita

[foul]

Oaklawn and Saratoga are my top two. My bottom two are The Fairgrounds and Suffolk, the only two tracks that I was panhandled why trying to place a bet.

foul

[jefftune]

Saratoga! Been going up every summer for 20 years now.

[tzipi]

Oaklawn and Saratoga are my top two. My bottom two are The Fairgrounds and Suffolk, the only two tracks that I was panhandled why trying to place a bet.

foul

If I had a dollar for everytime I was panhandled at Aqueduct,I'd own the place.
80% of the time its,"Do you got extra change"
20% of the time it's the old,"I'll give you the double man,and when it hits we'll split it,ok?" Ha. I just stand there laughing at my program till they walk away. Ridiculous when I goto The Big A.

[1st time lasix]

Arlington Park on Million weekend or Prevue million weekend. Beautiful venue...nice people....generally cool weather.

[NJ Stinks]

Here's my 5 favorites in order:

Brighton - high on a hill it overlooks the English Channel past the clubhouse turn; the horses run down a gigantic hill but the last quarter mile is uphill all the way; cozy grandstand offers best vista I've ever seen at a racecourse with a birdseye view of the finish. Quality of venue far exceeds quality of horseflesh. :)

York - flat as a pancake course in a marvelous setting; the view from the picnic area (think Monmouth) far exceeds most since it is slightly elevated like a terraced restaurant; I never saw so many bookmakers at one racecourse - shopping for a price is awesome fun here!

Ascot - this visit was before the major renovation but the place reeked with class and was spotless; huge grandstand with great views of the action; what's a great racecourse without on-track bookmakers offering real value vs. the tote?; would probably have ranked higher but lacked the charm of the top two above.

Saratoga - two turf courses and a 7 furlong chute are biggest plusses for me; great viewing from the grandstand seats; a town that loves horseracing is a big plus - and so is the harness racing down the street! :cool:

Newmarket - who knew they had two different racecourses and two separate grandstands at Newmarket? Not me; the tracks sit on a plain without much in the way of trees or vistas; it's all about the horse in Newmarket - but you already knew that. :)

Five years ago Keeneland and Arlington were definitely top 5 material. No more. And I had always planned on trips to Southern Cal tracks. But AWS changed all that.

[Black Ruby]

1)Keeneland even with the Nerf track. Great for filly ogling and tailgating.

2)Arlington on Million Day with a long weekend in Chicago.

3)Churchill all during Derby week.

[Robert Goren]

Oaklawn is pretty tough to beat in march.