Tracks you have been to

[Bitter Truth]

I sense that something like this has been done before but during a recent discussion with a Mr Campbell, it was brought into question whether I had ever even been to a track. That caused me to think back and compile a list of the 'MANY' tracks I 'HAVE' been to. He has since labeled me a 'YAHOO' from Ohio. Strange how some talk of Ohio like we just got indoor pluming, when in reality there are some of the largest investments in the USA in play. Intel, Amazon are building 'BILLION' dollar plants in  central Ohio. Take into account the vast number of pro sports and great colleges , Pro FB hall of fame, RR hall of fame, two great amusement parks, great State parks. it's clear that is a mistaken stereotype. Take a poll and ask whether you'd rather live in Ohio or NJ The results would be quite lopsided. Frankly, I expect this topic might be met with the understandable reaction"WHO CARES" and plummet down the board but hey, I put together the list so here goes.
  Harness tracks: Canada:Windsor, Mohawk,Woodbine, Flamboro,Clinton, Western Fair,Sarnia, Woodstock Ill. :Maywood, DuQuoin Indy: Hoosier Ky: Red Mile Pa.:Meadows,Pocono, Harrah's[Chester at the time] NJ: m[1], Feehold MIch.:Hazel Park Mass.:Foxboro Finally Ohio: Lebanon, Raceway Park, Miami Valley, Dayton, Nfld. Scioto Ohio Fairs:Tiffin,Lima, Greeneville,Wapakoneta,Springfield,Delaware,Marion,Bucyrus,Marysville,Hilliard,London,Richwood,Mansfield,Kenton, Upper Sandusky
 T-Breds: Calif.:Santa Anita La.: Evangeline Downs Ky: Keeneland NH:Rockingham Mass:Suffolk Canada: Woodbine Ohio:Buelah Park, River Downs
 Dogs: AZ:Pheonix Greyhound Park, Cherokee  Ark: West Memphis Mass:Wonderland, Rayhnam[south of Boston, possibly in R,I,?] NH: Seabrook WV: Wheeling...So yes, I have seen a few come down the pike..Where you been?

[Fuguzzi]

Harness - YR, RR, Meadowlands, Freehold, Garden State Park, Dover, Harrington, Liberty Bell, Freestate, Rosecroft, Pocono, Scioto, Fairmount Park, Maywood, Sportsmans, Monticello, Buffalo, Batavia, Vernon, Monticello, Sartoga,Greenwood, Woodbine, Green Mountain, Rockingham, Foxboro, Plainridge, Narragansett ( as an infant ), Scarborough, Bangor, Hinsdale and at least 15 New England/Maine fairs - raced at least once at almost every one I listed

Tbred - Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga, Pimlico, Suffolk, Charlestown and there used to be a tiny 4 across track in the Berkshires on Rte 7 in Mass.

Dogs - Plainfield and Hinsdale

I'm out!

[Fuguzzi]

Listed Monti 2x - oops

[theokodjak26]

Well there was the old MR and the one still open today. 2Xs sounds correct 

[Fuguzzi]

   CUTE!

[theokodjak26]

I don’t want to get carpal tunnel so I will just add some tracks I’ve been to that haven’t been listed yet. Let’s begin with White City dogs outside of London, England. It’s closed nowadays but in 1974 it was all grass racing and even had 2 hurdle races. Then I was at a bachelor party that lasted a week in El Paso, TX. Over the boarder to the Juarez dogs where I hit a last race $100 exacta. All the guys made me buy a round of drinks at the Juarez White Lakes bar. I think it cost $12 to buy the round for 10 guys. Then everyone got vaseline jobs upstairs from from local ladies. How about El Commandante thoroughbreds in San Juan, PR. Started at 2:30 with lots of 3 horse races. That was on my honeymoon in the mid-70s. This isn’t a track per se but I went to an OTB in Hamilton, Bermuda with my father. There were a lot more screaming fans there than most harness track attendance we have today. Racing was from South Africa, South America and dog racing from Ireland. Finally I give you the Seaport Casino/OTB in Aruba. There I would bet dog races from West Pam Beach and thoroughbreds from Maronas Race Track in Uraguay S.A. Lots of fans but they maxed payouts there. Yes I’ve been to almost every track previously mentioned but I will add Hialeah, Old Gulfstream and the new version, Calder, Tampa Bay Downs, Pompano and most dog tracks in Florida.

[The Thorn]

Harness - YR, RR, Meadowlands, Freehold, Garden State Park, Dover, Harrington, Liberty Bell, Freestate, Rosecroft, Pocono, Scioto, Fairmount Park, Maywood, Sportsmans, Monticello, Buffalo, Batavia, Vernon, Monticello, Sartoga,Greenwood, Woodbine, Green Mountain, Rockingham, Foxboro, Plainridge, Narragansett ( as an infant ), Scarborough, Bangor, Hinsdale and at least 15 New England/Maine fairs - raced at least once at almost every one I listed

Tbred - Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga, Pimlico, Suffolk, Charlestown and there used to be a tiny 4 across track in the Berkshires on Rte 7 in Mass.

Dogs - Plainfield and Hinsdale

I'm out!

You must have been to Goshen ... I can't believe I've been to tracks you haven't.  Goshen, Pompano, Northfield, Flamboro, Brandywine, The Meadows, along with the usual East Coast.

[Billsmafia]

I'm very fortunate to have been to more than half of the tracks others have listed plus quite a few in Canada. At least half are no longer around.

I also have visited Solvalla in Sweden and Hippodrome in Moscow (more than once). My main takeaway from Hippodrome was it was the most disgusting men's room I have ever visited (and smelled) in my life.

There were a few horses at Hippodrome with American blood but not shockingly none were standouts. In 1966 two Russian horses, one Hanover bred and one Russian bred visited a few tracks in the US. They were Apex Hanover (by Stars Pride) and Osmon. Both had Russian drivers. Apex Hanover won at Batavia Downs with master driver Maria Burdova. The event drew a significant crowd, most rooting for the local horses to beat the "bad" Soviet connections.

[Bitter Truth]

Thx for the unexpected feedback gentleman...So where you choosin to live if you had to choose?..Ohio or New Jersey?

[moelarrythecheese]

Harness Only
Hinsdale
Rockingham
Scarborough
Plainridge
Pocono
Chester
Meadowlands
Mohawk
Saratoga

[bello]

I posted on another board last year. Broke down into a few threads.

THESE ARE JUST DEFUNNT TRACKS. With my memories of each

Okay, In no particular order and memories attached to each.


Geez....Is this list the sign of a degenerate or what? I was lucky enough to do lots of business and personal travel and often planned trips around racetracks. This is just harness and thoroughbreds, I I added greyhound tracks it would get ridiculous


1. Roosevelt Raceway...Where it all began, where it ISN'T today.

So true....where my life as a degenerate began...Apt logo for generations of us.


2. Freestate/ Laurel Raceway...not to be confused with Laurel racecourse. Nothing special about this place other than it was close to Columbia MD where I moved in the late '70s


3.Bowie Racecourse...Cold Weather racing....Follow the signs to Glen Bernie...Spent many weekends there with my neighbor Victor. Tough being single and having another horse player living right next door. Days at Bowie nights at the PUB in Columbia MD ( when Freestate was coosed of course)


4. FreeState/Foxboro race course....Stoppin g ground down Route 1 in the 6 months I lived in Easton Ma.



5. Hinsdale...Would make the trek to Hinsdale many Sundays from Ma. when I lived there. One day they had the NH lottery Grand Prize there and finalists were given number 1-8 with the grand prize going to the winner of the designated race.


6. Rockingham Park...One of my favorites. Always combined a family trip here with time at Canobie Lake


7. Scarboro Downs...recently closed. I would rent a cabin for a month at Old Orchard Beach. Days at the beach...Nights at Scabby Downs. WATCH THE MOSQUITOS


to be continued.... 

[bello]

 ....continued


8. Suffolk Downs. No trip to Boston was complete without a trip to Suffolk Downs. I would book a room at the Holiday Inn up the road and make sure I booked the last flight out of Logan so I could spend a few races at Suffolk.


9. Marshfield Fair...I remember playing a wheel spinning game and winning a Cabbage Patch Kid. I could not bring only 1 home so I had to find 2 other to bring to each of my kids. Problem was they were hard to come by.


10. Northhampton Fair 3 County Fair...Always combined with a trip the Basketball Hall of Fame.


11. Great Barrington Fair....Loved the infield and close-up paddock. Who needed Saratoga? Head up the Taconic and spend a great day in the country



12. Atlantic City Racecourse....tro tter and flats...Loved all the brick. Had character


13. Hialeah...During it's demise it was still beautiful. I recall the rail being so dead all jocks stayed 15 paths ( at least) off the rail


Heading out West


14. Hollywood Harness and Flats watched races upstairs at top of the stretch. There was an elderly black fellow with a booming voice who would break out into a chorus of "HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD" whenever he hit a race. On a sad note I was also there when harness drive Shelly Goudreau died on the track due to a spill.


15 Pomona...Moved to California in 1981 and this was my first stop. I lived this bullring. First time I saw mixed breed racing. First time I tried Nachos with Jalapenos...Yummy


16. Longacres....Love d the place


17 Yakima Meadows...Derby Day 1989....What a great surprise driving here and suddenly heading down into the Yakima Valley and this quaint racetrack.


to be continued
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[bello]

18. Bay Meadows.... First time to a 1/4 horse meet and I hit the p6.



19. Agua Caliente...was like going back in time. Live white tiger on the lawn and adjacent racebook was totally unaytomated. Hand writte ticked and guy up on a plank posting results with chalk.


moving back inland


20. Prescott Downs...What a great town Prescott is. Everyone at the track had cowboy hats and boots on. To get from the parking lot to the track you rode in a tractor. Lots of fun


21. Sydney Harness...Victori a British Columbia....Weeke nd in Victoria B and B. Fun little track


22. Trinity Meadows... brief paramutual meet seemed to have proceeded the building of other track in Texas. Lots of locals, lots of noise , lost of fun


23. Centennial Racetrack...Color odo...also lots of cowboys



Moving back to the midwest


24.Saginaw Racetrack...One of many fun little Michigan Tracks that unfortunately closed.


25....Sports Creek Racetrack....in Swatz Creek Michigan...Great bar in the middle of the grandstand. Man was it cold at that meet. Needed alcohol to stay warm.


26. Raceway Park...Another fun harness track in Toledo for minor league racing


27. Detroit...I recall seeing the backstretch from the hotel I booked near the track. There was a snowstorm and I was prating they would not canel. They didn't


28 . Maywood...1/2 mile track outside Chicago. Love 1/2 races...knowledge able players


29 Balmoral...Mile harness racing outside Chicago. Took a long time to get there and that is all I recall


30. Sporstmans Park....Why was there a track across the street from Hawthorne?


31. Arlington Park....Tried to schedule trips to Chicago around the Friday Afternoon happy hour PostTime. Lots of happy people including me.

[bello]

continued


32. Thunder Ridge Raceway....In the middle of appalachia. $5.00 win bet would make a horse 1-9 as 1/2 the field would not be covered. Not far from Loretta Lynn hometown and Jenny Riley Park. Unexpectedly great family trip


33. Bluegrass Downs...Old empty step back in time. But Paducah was a great little find. On the Mississippi River and a stop for the cruise boats. We were lucky to be there on a weekend chock full of street entertainment and live bands.


34. Windsor Ontario...not very impresssive, but we were stopped by US customs because the agent seemed pissed because we went across the border to gamble when they had a casino in downtown Detroit. Thet actually searched our car..


35 Beulah Race course...Beulah Twins of course. I was there on a pouring rain day and all the locals advised me to play only outside horses. Rail took every race.


36. Calder....Hot Hot Hot


37. Garden State Park...A shame, state of the art sound system plating great oldies.



38...Arizona...Th ere were a couple of weekend meets in Arizona I went to but I cannot recall the names.


39. Harold Park Australia...Harne ss track. You can bet with bookies or parimutuel. I took a cab there from the intercontinental hotel in Sydney. But There were no cabs to get me back. Finally asked a guy on the street for a ride.


I am sure there are more that I forgot. What a life. But you don't hear me complaining.

[Jctoronto]

Like most here, many.

But ill add the ones I went to..that are no more.

-Sackville Downs Nova Scotia
-Blue Bonnets or if you prefer later, Hippodrome du Montreal
-Richilieu Park summer racing outside of Montreal
-Greenwood Raceway Toronto
-Barrie Raceway, Barrie Ontario
-Garden City, St Catherines Ont.
-Woodstock Raceway, Woodstock, Ontario
-Elmira Raceway, Ontario (Grand River Elora Ontario came from it)
-Windsor Raceway, Windsor, Ontario
-Hazel Park, Detroit area
-Garden State, New Jersey
-Scarborough Downs, Maine
-Seabrook Greyhounds, Seabrook, NH (now otb/sports)
-Pompano Park, Florida
-Derby Lane Greyhounds, Tampa
-Hollywood Greyhounds, Fla.
-Dania Jai Alai, Dania Beach Fla Fronton

..all gone