Do you know what track this is ?.....

[LottaKash]

"10-points to the good" if you can guess this track....

It was my home track for about 10-years, before I moved to FLA, and a weekend warrior track, long before that....I have a history there...

This photo was taken in 2004...

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp137/lottakash/2004-2005083.jpg

best,

[Hanover1]

The hills look Appalachian....getting closer? I wanna say Louisville, but that goes back awhile....

[grant miller]

pocono downs?

[exactatom]

Bluegrass Downs?

[Ray2000]

This isn't fair because I remember you talking about Lake Wallenpaupack, so I'll post it as a clue.

and

Is that you at the flag pole? :D

[cecil127]

ah yes, before they painted the wall....
loved the contrast of the green on red.

[LottaKash]

This isn't fair because I remember you talking about Lake Wallenpaupack, so I'll post it as a clue.

and

Is that you at the flag pole? :D

Hey smart man, you remembered the Lake..:jump: .....And no, that was not me at the flagpole, but it's funny that you noticed it, as I often look at that photo when browsing the old times thru pix, and despite that, I never did notice that, not once...Good Eyeballs Ray....

It is "POKIE" alright...

And, for those who guessed right, take a 10-point Bonus....
------------------------------

I really miss that place sometimes....It had a great place to watch the races, in a room that held about 15 people in it....It featured a glass enclosure just ahead of your desk area with a long glass window that insulated you from the all the noise of the crowd in the lounge/betting area that you were looking out into....You had your own leather swivel/recliner that fit into your own personal desk area with two tv sets for each player, with multi channels for live or simulcasted tracks, a bar and good eats just outside the door a bit, with waitress service if you wanted it, a place to plug in your laptop, and a little machine that linked yout to the tote to make your bets with without ever having to leave the peace and quiet of the room......All for $2.00, and the funny thing was that, the cheapos in that area were too cheap to pay it.....Me, I would've paid $20 for the seat, it was that good....haha...I was losing in style, and I enjoyed every visit there...every one...:cool:

And oh yeah, they often had dollar-beernites...yum....(and a facility that was quite near, on beer nites it was very important..haha)

best,

[Hanover1]

When you say Pokie, you mean Poconos? The Poconos I remember, from grandstand view, it overlooked Wilkes-Barre township. Has it all been redone that much?

[LottaKash]

When you say Pokie, you mean Poconos? The Poconos I remember, from grandstand view, it overlooked Wilkes-Barre township. Has it all been redone that much?

Hanover, to be honest, I personally couldn not say, but from what little I have seen thru photos at their website and from innocent camera pans shot during the live racing....I think that the grandstand proper, has been reduced significantly since being transformed into a "Racino"....I moved just prior to their opening the casino, and have never been back to Pocono Downs since....I lament that, since I like the casino atmosphere from time to time as well as my Dearest-One, haha..

best,...

[cecil127]

i dont think they cut down the grandstands at all. i mean, it is possible as i took a lil hiatus from there during the construction of the casino.
after revisiting Poco this year i can honestly say its really, really nice.:ThmbUp:
casino is 15x bigger than the original track and the resturants are top notch.
yes they still couldnt give less of a chit about racing but where do they anymore?:confused:
what i dont care for is the distance between the casino and the track-again, they dont care nor do they want anyone to know there is horse racing going on-and that one fact bothers the daylights out of me.
is there a law that the 2 must be seperated? id love to see a few table games scattered about the track facitily. it couldnt hurt.
my partnership horse was stabled there for a bit this spring/summer. i got into the paddock a few times and met yannick, trond etc...
talk about getting the "whole track experience"-WOW.:faint:

[jeebus1083]

I didn't scroll down, but I know from the green walls and the tote that I'm looking at a pic of Pocono Downs before the Mohegan Sun era.

My first trip to Pocono came in September 2003 while I was still studying at Oneonta (NY) State College, and the start of my Junior year. We had a good meal at Pacers in the clubhouse, and dropped a few bucks. What I remember most about that trip wasn't the racing, but how on the way back to Oneonta, my 1994 Ford Escort decided to die on me outside of Binghamton. In total, my first trip to Pocono cost me about $900.

I made a few return trips to Pocono, twice during the summer before Senior year, and once during my Senior year. Sadly, a return engagement before graduation in May 2005 never came to fruition, and I have not returned to The Downs since.

I will say this, Pocono Downs was a very nice track to go to in the pre-Mohegan era. No idea what it's like now. Hopefully, it's nothing like slots-era Yonkers, which is a pain in the ass in its own right.

[Hanover1]

I absolutely loved Poconos in the day (pre slots). Despite several great meets at the Meadows with dads horses, I always had a string there as well as Vernon. Vey peaceful and good air/water. I recall a strip club across the street...lol. Still there? I think the Lizzi family sold cars there, and ran the track kitchen also. There was a bar ajacent the club as well. I bet all that is gone?

[timtam]

Defonitely Pocono Downs Cut my teeth back at that track in 79.
I remember they used to charge an extra buck to sit in those box seats
with the tables. The whole foyer is changed now with the casino and I havent
been up in a few years. Brought back memories though running bets down
the steps for my dad and his friends. Thanks for the memories.

[grant miller]

I was in the wilkes berre v.a. at the time, I could see the track from the 9th floor at night-I tried to get a pass to go racing but no go! they (v.a.) would rather us blow money on bingo at the hospital!

[LottaKash]

I was in the wilkes berre v.a. at the time, I could see the track from the 9th floor at night-I tried to get a pass to go racing but no go! they (v.a.) would rather us blow money on bingo at the hospital!

Hey Grant Miller, I remember that place very well, as I had been there a time or two...In fact the last time I was there, they removed my "right lung", due to the Big-C (seriously)....I didn't take the chemo, and opted to learn more about more natural ways of healing things....The track got my "other lung", so perhaps, that is why I have such difficulty breathing these days...:D ...Still, been fine ever since....:jump:

This is a view of that same WB-VA, as viewed from the side parking lot of Pokie...

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp137/lottakash/2004-2005086.jpg





best,

[grant miller]

thanks for the picture! does the cable co. still show the races live? my first time at the w.b.v.a.was 03 and they raced at night last time I was in the w.b.v.a. they raced in the afternoon could see the track real good nighttime from the hosp

[Rookies]

Been there many times, the first probably in 1973! :)

[LottaKash]

Been there many times, the first probably in 1973! :)

Maybe GrantMiller and ME and YOU may have shared the same bed, only at different times ?

best,



Here are couple more while the subject is still fresh....

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp137/lottakash/2004-2005082.jpg

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/pp137/lottakash/2004-2005079.jpg

[grant miller]

O.M.G.!!thanks you-Im from upstate ny,our stock car race got rained out sooo, we hit o.t.b. my sisser notices that morril was driving at vernon-slot -o-rama,sos we bet morrill&tea trick and took a bigtime bath!!!! Iswear out of the 10-people that started playing harness 4-or 5 left when batavias signal went haywire. my sisser mary says,poccono still running ,but damn they caught for 10$ --miss w.b. saved my life but buff-bat boy at heart!-go bills

[pandy]

It's still a nice track, they did a great job with the Breeders Crown last year. They have free valet parking, great restaurants, the casino, good racing, overall a clean, nice facility and a five eighth track that plays honestly most nights.