Brockton Fair 2016

[Mailman]

Lambo
Seems i heard that story someplace! I think i know who the jock is.

[Elliott Sidewater]

Brockton Fair or Saratoga?? Different strokes for different folks, I guess. For me Andy Beyer's chapter on his experience at Great Barrington Fair (Parsley, Sage Rosemary and Crime) was a great travel planner on where not to go racing. Brockton Fair is too far a trip (for me); for a taste of eastern racing nostalgia, I can go to Timonium, possibly the hottest place in the world outside of the Persian Gulf, and relive the timeless experience of having my shorts spot welded to the concrete stands, as well as pondering the true measurement length of "about 6 and a half furlongs".

I finally got the answer to one racing question that has been bugging me for years: how did Presque Isle Downs decide on a 5 PM post time? A friend from Western PA e-mailed and said "Obviously you Philly guys know nothing about the northwestern part of the state. We know how long it takes to run an 8 race card and we HAVE to know- it's not safe after 9 PM in the summer, that's when the zombies come out of the woods"

[Track Collector]

Hey Lamboguy, time for an update. How are things coming along? Everything on schedule? I need a fix!

Among other things, any idea of what Days of the Week they plan to run? Years ago they made sure not to have any live racing on the days that Suffolk was running. Now they can choose basically any days they want, given Suffolk's few live dates. And I would presume that racing will be held when the annual Brockton Fair is going on too, as to maximize exposure.

Somewhere on an OLD laptop I have a picture of the really cool portable tote board they used in 2001. Of course "cool" is in the eye of the beholder.

[barahona44]

Not to be a noodge (SP?),but the name of the 'Northampton Fair " is actually the Three County Fair.Where I saw my first race back in the mid 60's when I was 11 or 12.

[ronsmac]

Originally Posted by barahona44

Not to be a noodge (SP?),but the name of the 'Northampton Fair " is actually the Three County Fair.Where I saw my first race back in the mid 60's when I was 11 or 12.

Do you remember which fair was running on July 4th 1983?

[Track Collector]

Originally Posted by barahona44

Not to be a noodge (SP?),but the name of the 'Northampton Fair " is actually the Three County Fair.Where I saw my first race back in the mid 60's when I was 11 or 12.

Yes, I knew that, but the race meet is more commonly referred to as the Northampton Fair.

As to the Three County Fair, it is believed to be the oldest fair in the country to have run continuously (i.e. every year). I think in 2017 it will be their 200th!

[Track Collector]

Originally Posted by ronsmac

Do you remember which fair was running on July 4th 1983?

I suspect Brockton could have been one of them, as July 4th is typically one of their dates. (I do know no racing at Brockton though from 1973-2000.).

There many have been some other fairs that took place in the state on July 4th as well. Perhaps one of our Massachusetts friends like lamboguy or mabred might know.

[Redbullsnation]

Good news it seems. The New England area are starving for some horse racing after SD closed

[Track Collector]

Hey Lamboguy,

I know you are actively following the Election activity, but can you give us an update as to what is going on with this topic? It is only about 6 weeks away from when you previously thought the track might be opened up for training.

I've checked the local newspaper and no updates can be found, so I/we need to tap the inside info guy! Call your Carney friends and get the scoop.

Surely more should be known by now, like possible racing dates, etc.

How can I make visit plans when I know so little?

[thespaah]

Originally Posted by lamboguy

the Carney's used it as a training track about 3 years ago for their own horses. i don't think anyone has used it the last 2 years.

they always had a fair the first 2 weeks of july.

when my first x-wife threw me out of the house, i moved to Brockton. that's about all i could afford 30 years ago. that's when i met the Carney's.

my great story was when they had their last meet they needed 9 jockeys on the grounds in order to run. they only had 8. but t hey knew where the 9th one was, he was in jail for failure to pay child support. he owed about $1800 and to get him out you had to go to the jail which was about 90 miles away and payoff the money. Carney called me at 1:00 a.m. and woke me up and told me his problem. he asked me if i had the money on me and i said yes. he told me where to go. so i went and it was the wrong jail. i got to the right jail about 4:00 a.m. i went there with the cash and they told me they don't take cash. i called George up and told him, he called the governor and woke him up. The Governor called the jail and they took the money!

i brought the kid to the track and he wound up winning 3 races that afternoon.

Funny story..
Did you at any time after you'd realized you'd arrived at the wrong pokey say to yourself "I must be out of my friggin mind"...?

[Track Collector]

Originally Posted by Elliott Sidewater

Brockton Fair or Saratoga?? Different strokes for different folks, I guess. For me Andy Beyer's chapter on his experience at Great Barrington Fair (Parsley, Sage Rosemary and Crime) was a great travel planner on where not to go racing. Brockton Fair is too far a trip (for me); for a taste of eastern racing nostalgia, I can go to Timonium, possibly the hottest place in the world outside of the Persian Gulf, and relive the timeless experience of having my shorts spot welded to the concrete stands, as well as pondering the true measurement length of "about 6 and a half furlongs".

Your Timonium visit must have been MANY years ago. I can not recall the last time the weather was that hot. And, the grandstand has well-maintained, painted wooden seats that are quite nice (and free!). As a perennial Timonium attendee, I have to confess I don't know the true measurement of "about 6 and 1/2 furlongs".

BTW opening day at Brockton in 2001 was quite humid as I recall, but did not dampen MY experience.

[mabred]

Not on the agenda at the gambling commission yet.I figure when they

decide not to give Carney The region C casino license because the

Tribe is building their casino next month he will focus on racing.


Stay tuned!!

mabred

[lamboguy]

Originally Posted by thespaah

Funny story..
Did you at any time after you'd realized you'd arrived at the wrong pokey say to yourself "I must be out of my friggin mind"...?

i am more than "out of my mind" still.

[Track Collector]

Originally Posted by mabred

Not on the agenda at the gambling commission yet.I figure when they

decide not to give Carney The region C casino license because the

Tribe is building their casino next month he will focus on racing.


Stay tuned!!

mabred

Thanks mabred!

I was hoping for more, but it is what it is. Until more concrete specifics are announced, I'm just going to worry that something is going to mess this up, only to be teased and disappointed again.

[Track Collector]

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...ack?source=rss

I see this as bad news for Carney and Brockton.

Although such a center could be a few years away, I would not be surprised now if Brockton does not run this year.