Who else misses Hollywood Park?
 

I do. It was one of the best tracks in California. Ever since it's closure, racing just hasn't been the same in the Golden State. Don't get me wrong, it's still good. We have Santa Anita and Del Mar but it's just not enough. Los Alamitos is all right but they need some improvements. Hollywood Park is what gave the spring/summer racing season its charm.

I miss it too, loved going there and loved their Friday night cards especially.

:ThmbUp:

I developed a good feel for Hollywood the last few years they ran. I was sorry to see it go from a bettor's standpoint.

I'm satisfied with Los Al and believe, if they really commit, they will be putting together good meets ultimately. The big barns are using the meets for preps and the smaller barns to pay bills at the moment. Hollywood was definitely taken more serious by the horsemen, but if Los Al really commits to being the 3rd track, it will just keep getting better. The purses have been outstanding for what they're doing, but the quality of the fields hasn't come close to what Hollywood was doing. The lack of a turf course is a glaring omission.

I was happy to see it go at the time since they were running on synthetic and SA was dirt. It is better for handicappers today since their is a longer SA meet before changing tracks, even if Hollywood had switched back to dirt.

I do... :(

I miss it too. It was the track where I saw my first horse race in person back in the early seventies. The Goose Girl, Harry Henson, Ack Ack.. what great memories. :)

Even though I never got the chance to go, Hollywood park and Keeneland were poly were my best wagering tracks. I still do ok at Keeneland now because of how much time I put into it but not nearly as many large scores....

Vic Stauffer might remember because he called it but the last week at Hollywood I hit the second or third largest $2 daily double in Hollywood park history.

never got to see live racing at Hollywood. only simulcast there. every time I was in Cal, Santa Anita or Del Mar was running.


I guess you west coasters are hoping Los al picks it up. on the east coast we see it as another Fairplex. I rather it remain a QTR horse track. I like the 300-350 yard races. Not too short , Not too long

I don't understand the CAL format , I'd like to see Golden Gate pick up for Hollywood's season.

I miss it to a degree.

Though poly, it was the most dirt-like poly I knew of.

It was a RACETRACK. Not a party scene like DMR and not the grand dame of SA, but a good old racetrack. Generally douchebag-free. Friday nights were fun for me.

That said, it was in sad disrepair, and the food+bev was sorely lacking (until they started letting the food trucks in).

Golden Gate is still part of the "Northern Circuit," although with the demise of Bay Meadows, it's not much of a circuit anymore. The Northern circuit seems to be Golden Gate almost all year 'round with the fair tracks running their "micro meets" during the summer and into the fall.

so nothing preventing a Oak Tree type meet at GG for 2 months with 60k allowance races instead of 5k claimers?

face it Los al is not a thorobred track and no grass

douchebag free. :(

I cried when Hollywood closed and not because I got nosed in the final pick 4 ever

Hollywood Park was great track to bet on but not to visit. The absolute last time I went there in winter 2008, I was standing near the winner's circle rail remembering my kid days where they had the video arcade, the bouncy castles, and snow days. All that was ruined when one fat lady and her two sad kids came up and stood next to me and here's how the scene played out:
"Mommy, we're hungry."
"Shut up, I bet all our money on the 5 horse...we'll eat after he wins."
The 5 horse ended up last, the mom was crusing up a storm at who knows who, and the kids started crying because they weren't going to get anything. I felt so bad for the kids that I secretly slipped each a $10 from my earlier win. From that moment forward it was only ADW and OTB for and I swore off visiting Hollywood Park for good.

I'm so sorry. I must admit when I would tap out back in the day, I would send my wife and 2 kids down to the play area to use that schtick to drum up some cash flow from an unsuspecting patron. If it makes you feel better, I turned the $10 into $1000 :D

JUST KIDDING....I've never been to Hollywood but I could see someone doing that to peddle some money from people.