THINGS YOU DONT SEE IN HARNESS RACING ANY MORE

[American Sniper]

 SHOE SHINE GUYS IN NEAR THE SHIT HOUSE    so true

[kantseeback]

hard burnt pretzels outside RR and YR

[SPERMIN HERMAN]

JACKET AND TIE TO GET IN CLUBHOUSE.

SOUVENIR BOOTHS IN GRANDSTAND. AT ONE TIME, SARATOGA HAD 2 OF THEM OPERATING EVERY NIGHT.

AT LEAST IN NYS, PROGRAMS BEING SOLD AT THE CASH REGISTER AT NEARLY EVERY DINER, RESTAURANT AND NEWSTAND WITHIN 30-40 MILES OF THE TRACK.

[pocket trip]

Sitting in the grandstand at Roosevelt Raceway on a warm summer evening ,
watching the sun setting as horses warm up with the big fountain and the unique
tote board flashing the odds. Those were good times. 🐎🐎🐎

[Emperor Dapple]

hard burnt pretzels outside RR and YR

I remember those pretzels ..Monticello had a soft ice cream stand downstairs that was delicious..Sure do miss those days

[pickfourny]

Sitting in the grandstand at Roosevelt Raceway on a warm summer evening ,
watching the sun setting as horses warm up with the big fountain and the unique
tote board flashing the odds. Those were good times. 🐎🐎🐎

I was real fortunate to grow up equidistant between Yonkers and Roosevelt, spend my summers as a camp counselor in Pa about 35 minutes from Monticello Raceway, and went to college in Buffalo so naturally I enjoyed the Batavia and Buffalo Raceway meets with my college buddies.  All in all, a harness fans degenerate dream I suppose. Those subtle reminders of days long ago when we were all young (or most of us with these memories were) bring a sort of melancholy feeling.  Yes those ultra hard pretzels after the Yonkers races; at Roosevelt, for me, it was a trip to Sprats for beers and wings right after the races (where I became acquainted with the owner of Sprats who himself owned a few horses; another story altogether).  At Monti the soft ice cream, and for whatever reason I liked their pizza as well, but mostly I enjoyed watching the races their in "The Place" lounge on the second floor, which had sort of a night club feel. For the Monti night cards I had a curfew in the camp where I worked in PA., so after the last race had to tear ass on Route 17 to get back on time.  However, after the Sunday day card (my day off by design) I'd end up at El Monaco's with my boys for what probably was the largest serving of shrimp parm you could ever find on the planet.  In college I hooked up with a fun crew where bell betting became an art, with one of us watching the start of the race from outside screaming back the # and several of us across the various win/pace/show windows. Shit, I even did an economics paper on the industry and met Gaston Valiquette (President of Buffalo Raceway) in the process.

So many fun memories of this game.           

[Sam R]

I remember those pretzels ..Monticello had a soft ice cream stand downstairs that was delicious..Sure do miss those days

How about the guy that called the knish's "bionic belly burners"

[Sam R]

It wasn't easy but I saw Richard Perry and his crew bet the bell at Goshen. Needed a second relay to get from the front of the grandstand to the back. Ritchie would do anything for an edge.

[Emperor Dapple]

I was real fortunate to grow up equidistant between Yonkers and Roosevelt, spend my summers as a camp counselor in Pa about 35 minutes from Monticello Raceway, and went to college in Buffalo so naturally I enjoyed the Batavia and Buffalo Raceway meets with my college buddies.  All in all, a harness fans degenerate dream I suppose. Those subtle reminders of days long ago when we were all young (or most of us with these memories were) bring a sort of melancholy feeling.  Yes those ultra hard pretzels after the Yonkers races; at Roosevelt, for me, it was a trip to Sprats for beers and wings right after the races (where I became acquainted with the owner of Sprats who himself owned a few horses; another story altogether).  At Monti the soft ice cream, and for whatever reason I liked their pizza as well, but mostly I enjoyed watching the races their in "The Place" lounge on the second floor, which had sort of a night club feel. For the Monti night cards I had a curfew in the camp where I worked in PA., so after the last race had to tear ass on Route 17 to get back on time.  However, after the Sunday day card (my day off by design) I'd end up at El Monaco's with my boys for what probably was the largest serving of shrimp parm you could ever find on the planet.  In college I hooked up with a fun crew where bell betting became an art, with one of us watching the start of the race from outside screaming back the # and several of us across the various win/pace/show windows. Shit, I even did an economics paper on the industry and met Gaston Valiquette (President of Buffalo Raceway) in the process.

So many fun memories of this game.       

If you enjoyed El Monaco's for italian the next time you are up in the Monticello area try Nardi's Italian restaurant on Main Street in Hurleyville..They are about 15 minutes from the track..Supposedly cousins of the El Monaco owners and their food is also large portion and actually quite good .

[kantseeback]

I remember those pretzels ..Monticello had a soft ice cream stand downstairs that was delicious..Sure do miss those days

I remember that ice cream stand at monti, the race changes on that old black and white zenith tv not far away. don't forget the pinball machines, cafeteria, and putt putt golf

[kantseeback]

Whatever happened to that big statue in a case at monti near the back entrance for the Monticello OTB Classic?

[kantseeback]

Racing from Roosevelt on tv with Stan Bergstien.  

Don't forget Spencer Ross

[Shadow Wave]

Cloud Casino, Doc Robbins, Jack Lee, Eddie Cobb

[quitpullinmychain]

When you are driving up to the track seeing all the banners hanging off the barns with their names on them.Haugton,Cameron,Popfinger,etc.

[Redb2011]

Those days are gone,it was that one man owned 10 horses ,now 10 men own 1 horse,it's common now.-Good luck to all.