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Old 08-14-2017, 01:16 AM   #1
Track Collector
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Timonium 2017

This is one of the race meets I look forward to each year, although the duration is just 7 days. The racing is a part of the Maryland Circuit, so the races are simulcast nationally and are usually available on the menus of the major ADWs.

Opening day is a little less than 2 weeks away on Friday, 08/25. Racing will also be held on 08/26, 08/27, 09/01, 09/02, 09/03, and 09/04.

As is the usual, I plan to be in attendance all 7 days. In the past, several other PaceAdvantage members (Charm City Whizz, Proximity, and ronsmac) have come on a least one of the days, and we usually get all 4 of us there on the Friday or Saturday of the opening weekend.

Timonium is a 5/8-mile oval with free and comfortable seating in the grandstands, which offer an excellent view of the entire race. The inaugural race meet was believed to have began in 1887, although it was not at the exact present site. There is also an inside OTB (which now offers year round simulcasting), where one can use as a home base between the live races, and/or participate in the simulcasts races from Sar, Mth, Del, etc. The OTB is also linked with a bar/restaurant. Before, during, or after the races one can wander out into the fair itself to enjoy the rides, exhibits, and various food options. (The Maryland Food Court is particularly good, with many themes like Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Lamb, Pork, Seafood, etc.).

Lawn chairs and small coolers (without glass bottles and without alcoholic drinks) have been traditionally allowed in.

Last year admission was $8 for adults, and a little less for kids and seniors. Admission gets you into both the racing and the fair. If past practices are observed, I should be able to get you and your family/friends in for FREE. Just be sure to contact me via private message (same day as the races is ok) so that we can make the proper arrangements.

The regulars are always looking forward to meeting new PaceAdvantage members, so come out and join us for a day of fun conversations, good food and drink, and a unique racing experience!
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Old 08-14-2017, 10:12 AM   #2
Elliott Sidewater
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$8 for admission to a racetrack is a non-starter, fair or no fair. There's a casino near my home that charges admission unless you're staying at the hotel, and business isn't very good there. Charging people admission to gamble on house advantage games is bad business practice, period.
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Old 08-14-2017, 06:01 PM   #3
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The admission price is the same on days with the fair only, so one is not specifically being charged for the races. It would be nice though if those attending only the races were allowed to come in and not pay for admission to the "fair", but the fairground Board of Directors see it as an improved revenue stream which is unlikely to change in the near-future.

In case you missed reading it, the probability is high that I can get other folks in for FREE.

It's OK not to like places like Timonium. Perhaps you had a poor experience one time 10-20 years ago and felt the need to let others know?
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Old 08-14-2017, 07:29 PM   #4
Elliott Sidewater
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No not really, I had the same reaction when Aqueduct started charging $7 a day for parking. Racing has made a bad habit of gouging the customers for just about everything except air, that's all. You've made a generous offer to get people in for free, so thanks, no offense meant. Have a great time at Timonium.
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Old 08-14-2017, 07:57 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Track Collector View Post
This is one of the race meets I look forward to each year, although the duration is just 7 days. The racing is a part of the Maryland Circuit, so the races are simulcast nationally and are usually available on the menus of the major ADWs.

Opening day is a little less than 2 weeks away on Friday, 08/25. Racing will also be held on 08/26, 08/27, 09/01, 09/02, 09/03, and 09/04.

As is the usual, I plan to be in attendance all 7 days. In the past, several other PaceAdvantage members (Charm City Whizz, Proximity, and ronsmac) have come on a least one of the days, and we usually get all 4 of us there on the Friday or Saturday of the opening weekend.

Timonium is a 5/8-mile oval with free and comfortable seating in the grandstands, which offer an excellent view of the entire race. The inaugural race meet was believed to have began in 1887, although it was not at the exact present site. There is also an inside OTB (which now offers year round simulcasting), where one can use as a home base between the live races, and/or participate in the simulcasts races from Sar, Mth, Del, etc. The OTB is also linked with a bar/restaurant. Before, during, or after the races one can wander out into the fair itself to enjoy the rides, exhibits, and various food options. (The Maryland Food Court is particularly good, with many themes like Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Lamb, Pork, Seafood, etc.).

Lawn chairs and small coolers (without glass bottles and without alcoholic drinks) have been traditionally allowed in.

Last year admission was $8 for adults, and a little less for kids and seniors. Admission gets you into both the racing and the fair. If past practices are observed, I should be able to get you and your family/friends in for FREE. Just be sure to contact me via private message (same day as the races is ok) so that we can make the proper arrangements.

The regulars are always looking forward to meeting new PaceAdvantage members, so come out and join us for a day of fun conversations, good food and drink, and a unique racing experience!
If I lived anywhere w/in the vicinity, I would be happy to take you up on it. Thanks for the offer. Experiencing something different is always worth doing. I grew up going to Fonner Park. You only live once.
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Old 08-17-2017, 12:39 AM   #6
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It's a long shot, but I may try and make it this year. We will see.
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Old 08-21-2017, 12:29 AM   #7
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i will be there on Friday and hopefully one or two other days.

--proximity
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Old 08-21-2017, 09:50 AM   #8
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Gonna do my best to get there for a few on Friday, for some reason bowling starts that night

Last edited by charm city whizz; 08-21-2017 at 09:52 AM.
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Old 08-21-2017, 10:04 PM   #9
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HaHa.

My Friday night bowling league starts after Labor Day this year, so I don't have to get a substitute for 1 or 2 weeks so I can attend Timonium.

Weather looks very good the first weekend of racing. Temps maxing out around 80-degrees with 10% or less chance of rain.

I just started driving for Uber in Hagerstown about 2 weeks ago. I may go down to Timonium early on Friday and/or Saturday and do some Uber jobs while I am there. Anyone who plans to attend can let me know (in advance) of your expected Fairgrounds arrival time so that I can get back to the Fairgrounds in time for your complementary admission. Just send me a private message or text me if you already have my cell phone number.

Anyone staying around the area to play poker after the races? I am planning on a Horseshoe visit Fri/Sat, but who knows, I could change my mind and go to MD Live.

Last edited by Track Collector; 08-22-2017 at 12:02 AM. Reason: grammer
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Old 08-23-2017, 09:40 AM   #10
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Just saw the entries for opening day Friday, and they look great.

There will be 9 races with the following (pre-scratch) field sizes:

10 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 9 , 10 , 10 , 9 , 10

I think last year opening day had only 8 races, and I recall the fields sizes were almost a full 2 horses per race less. Such an increase in average field size will likely change the dynamics of handicapping, so a little more coverage than usual might be necessary.

Purse monies are up (with an additional generous 30% MD-bred bonus), and I wonder if they are offering the "trainer" bonus again, which was something like $10K total last year.
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Old 08-23-2017, 12:08 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Elliott Sidewater View Post
$8 for admission to a racetrack is a non-starter, fair or no fair. There's a casino near my home that charges admission unless you're staying at the hotel, and business isn't very good there. Charging people admission to gamble on house advantage games is bad business practice, period.
Ok, you're opinion is noted..
My response....
Oy vey...SMH
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Old 08-24-2017, 12:37 AM   #12
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Saturday Entries

Looks like Friday's very nice field sizes was no accident.

Saturday's entries for 10 races are as follows:

9 , 9 , 10 , 10, 8 , 11* , 10, 10, 9 , 10

* Max field size is 10, so the AE will not get in unless another horse scratches out.

The 9th race is a Stakes race worth $75K. I don't recall seeing a higher purse race in all my visits to Timonium.

Looks like handicapping the meet is going to be a lot more difficult than in past years because the field sizes are much larger. Also, with 9 and 10-horse fields, positioning out of the gate (for the about 6.5f and longer distances) will be much more critical than in previous years. At least the exotic payouts should be higher to balance the difficulty in handicapping more horses.
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Old 08-24-2017, 03:53 AM   #13
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can't wait for the following which happens every year at the big T.....

Call up Track collector 13mtp opening day for him to come down and get me....

Proximity sneaking in some horse he loves that's shows dogfood lines on paper and horse wins easy....

The annual round table in the simulcast room about how ronsmac can't stand stronach and people keep trashing lebron for no reason


There is not a better time of the year sitting in that room......knowing when I leave the pigskin is in the air in only a matter of days

Strongly urge anybody who can make it up for a day to do it, Ronny Chris and shayne are great people, and it's a blast spending a day at the races with them, the One thing I regret is not having the chance of us 4 and cjs dad Dennis having a group outing at the T......

3 years in a row now when I walk out the grandstand on the 2nd floor overlooking the track I remember curtisonthebay telling me when I asked him if he wanted to go to timonium "whizz I'm tired of going there, stale beer and breakdowns".......it's so true

Looking like the big t is trending up.....these field sizes are massive and should bring in some good prices
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Old 08-24-2017, 09:15 AM   #14
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You guys have a beverage for my Dad. Spent a few days at Big T with him. We were there the day Colonial Downs opened and spent most of the day betting an insane speed bias there. I'll always remember it. It was like we knew the results before the races were run.

Hope to make it one of these years soon!
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Old 08-24-2017, 10:50 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charm city whizz View Post
can't wait for the following which happens every year at the big T.....

Call up Track collector 13mtp opening day for him to come down and get me....

Proximity sneaking in some horse he loves that's shows dogfood lines on paper and horse wins easy....

The annual round table in the simulcast room about how ronsmac can't stand stronach and people keep trashing lebron for no reason


There is not a better time of the year sitting in that room......knowing when I leave the pigskin is in the air in only a matter of days

Strongly urge anybody who can make it up for a day to do it, Ronny Chris and shayne are great people, and it's a blast spending a day at the races with them, the One thing I regret is not having the chance of us 4 and cjs dad Dennis having a group outing at the T......

3 years in a row now when I walk out the grandstand on the 2nd floor overlooking the track I remember curtisonthebay telling me when I asked him if he wanted to go to timonium "whizz I'm tired of going there, stale beer and breakdowns".......it's so true

Looking like the big t is trending up.....these field sizes are massive and should bring in some good prices
Another classic post by whizz. Unfortunately the demands of my sucky job won't allow me to attend opening day. I'll definitely make one of next weekends days. Whichever one most of the gang can attend. I'm stunned by this years field sizes. They're the biggest I've seen at Timonium in decades

Last edited by ronsmac; 08-24-2017 at 10:53 AM.
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