Favorite Racetrack to Spend the Day
 

What is your favorite track to attend and why? If not on list, please enlighten us below.

JimG

While I don't like the CDI management at Arlington, it *IS* the top track to visit. No, the quality isn't Saratoga, but its not bad.

Re: Favorite Racetrack to Spend the Day
 

I broke first. Surprisingly enough I voted for Del-Mar. Sure I love Saratoga. But thats a DESTINATION Track.

As far as a day trip. Like you blow out of work at 10:00 AM and just plan on having an early lunch and spending the day at the Track? Del-Mar. #2 GulfStream. They are can't miss....but If I had to rank them those are my 1-2

I lived in Carlsbad California for 18 months. My Office was in Kearney Mesa , right across from Mira Mar naval air academy where they filmed Top Gun. I drove PCH everyday , and Del-mar is spectacular.

I went Monmouth, I just love the atmosphere, the out back paddock, the burgers outside. Never been to Del Mar for the live product, so I can't say about that one.

CJ, really with you on this one. Monmouth Park is the place to be. JimL

Woodbine,Fort Erie or Delware.
Wo and FE are beuatiful tracks, comfortable, really freindly people. FE probably more so than any. ALWAYS have a great day there, even if I lose.
Delware reminds me of Saratoga butwithout the crowds. vEry nice set up, very conducive to relaxation. I can handicap very easily at these three.
Penn would probably come in 4th, for its first class dining room with simulcasting.
Pha is a comfy track, too.
But number one....Fort Eirie. Plust, they have those delicious improted hot dogs there - Zwiegles!

Re: Favorite Racetrack to Spend the Day
 

Jim,
Saratoga has a special place in my heart . I've always
loved going there. Locally Belmont and Monmouth Park.
Turf Paradise was a nice track but the product stunk.

Jimmy

As a native New Yorker I know I'm supposed to vote for Saratoga, but Keeneland is a wonderful place to spend the day (although I'd avoid big race days because it's really not designed to handle crowds of 25,000 or more). Terrific paddock, too. Lost some of its charm with the introduction of a public address system, but still a great location for a day at the races.

Yeah, absolutely beautiful racetrack but not nearly the quality of racing that there used to be. But started happening even before they took over.

1. Woodbine
2. Saratoga
3. Delaware Park

ZAFONIC

Ya know, I plum forgot about Keenland. I was only here once, and there was no live racing, but it was a dream racetrack-never seen anything quite like it before. The set up was terrific, the food was actually good, the accomadations more than comfortable. I would love to go back for real racing.
Had the privilage of going there with the HTR group, which made it all the more memorable. That whole area of Kentucky was like something out of Gone With the Wind, in the early chapters.

I lied!
 

I like Vallejo best. 7/8 with small buildings, good surface, easy to handicap. Good fair food and a small fair with good exhibits too!

1. keeneland for the beauty and gentry
2. CD for the history and party type atmosphere
3. Oaklawn for the track surface, enthusiatic fans, and the water
4. GP just because of the location

Regards,
Show Me the Wire

Perception is reality

Give Me HAW & AP
 

I love attending the races live at Hawthorne. I know the neighborhood isn't the prettiest, and the industrial sites nearby don't look nor smell very good, either. It is what they do for the players that has me loving that place, and overlooking their faults.

They have a wonderfully remodled Handicapping/Business Center there that is like a second home for me. My good friend Scott McMannis runs it, and is there every day of the live TB meets, reviews the card at the begining of the day, and is there to answer questions. There are plenty of new tables inside, and they have T1 connections so you can bring your laptop PC and get online. Plus they have a PC set up for the public to use as well. Big screen TVs + hands on access to the Video Library, you can review the replays as often as you want. If you need to make a copy or send a fax, they have equipment available right there in the room too (sponsored by Des Plaines Office Equipment). A number of friendly regulars and subscribers of Scott's are usually there.

They have free handicapping tournaments nearly every weekend, with a cash prize final round at the end of every month for those who qualified during the month (pick 2 winners out of 6 on any Sat. or Sun. to qualify for the Sat. or Sun. finals). Usually $2,500 worth of prizes given away on the last Sat & Sun. of the month.

Free contest every meet to win a new car (compliments of Mancari Chrysler/Plymouth). One of our buddies from the Handicapping Center won a brand new Dodge Caravan last spring. Others from the group have come close at various times.

(This next paragraph I wrote in another recent post:)
Hawthore and National Jockey Club(Formerly Sportman's Park) have a great ontrack rewards program - after acheiving point totals, essentially 4% returned for betting the live races, 2% on the simulcasts. Makes the live WPS pools 17% - 4% = 13% for ontrack players using their card (in contrast to IL OTB's where 17% + 2.5% IL Surcharge = 19.5% takout). Bonus points awarded on many occasions, like when the Bears cover the spread, when Carolina the underdog covered the spread in the Super Bowl, etc. (250 free points if you made any bet that day with your card ) 10,000 points for a $200 voucher. 2 points per $1 bet on live HAW races, 1 point for the simulcasts.

As for AP, yes, that is the pretty one! Plus about 50% of the fans are women! Plenty of trees and in a nice suburban area about 1 mile from my home. Walk around inside the place and you'd swear you're in a really nice shopping mall. Go outside on the apron on the weekend and see lots of people and the sunshine. Beautiful paddock area. Go to the Park area on Friday Nights with the bands and the Party In The Park, or on Sundays for Family Day, and feel alive and part of something. So for a cooped up workaholic like me, that place sure tends to pick up my spirits.

Steve'StatMan'BTW:

No offense, but you need to get around more. Hawthorne is the least place I would want to spend a day at.

I know Scott and he definetly is an asset, but Scott and the bonus program are not enough to mention Hawthorne in the same breath as the other tracks.

As far as AP, all it has going is that it is a mismanaged beautiful facility and it is the closest track to my geographical location.

BTW women at Keeneland win hands down over AP

Try a McChump tour.

Regards,
Show Me the Wire

perception is reality