Favorite Track?

Xaviar Payne · Post by **Xaviar Payne** » 17 years ago

Just out of curiousity, what're your favorite tracks to attend live racing and bet on via simulcast?

Being as the only track I've ever actually attended was Prairie Meadows in Iowa, I'd have to say it's my favorite. As far as I know it's actually quite nice. I'm planning on taking road trips to Emerald Downs and Del Mar next summer though and I'm pretty excited about that.

As far as tracks I like to bet I'd say Prairie Meadows, Del Mar, and Lone Star Park are probably my favorites. Saratoga however is one track that's always vexxed me, really all New York tracks for some reason...

Peihe Sun · Post by **Peihe Sun** » 17 years ago

Haha, I've only ever really been to Emerald Downs, but I took a tour of Longchamp and Sha Tin. Emerald Downs is beautiful, so I hope you enjoy your visit there!

Angela Dee Cochran · Post by **Angela Dee Cochran** » 17 years ago

I live 10min away from Indiana Downs, and I love it. Its very open so you can be very close to the horses and jockeys. Its also small enough you can go to the paddock to watch them saddle up then be able to get to the track in time to watch them get ready to go. Ive been to Churchhill Downs and It was very neat to see all the famous horses but I would rather be at Indiana Downs any time. You can stand right on the rail watching them come down the stretch, I love it- its very exhilirating! The resurant in the clubhouse has good food too. Pricy, but good.

Laura Smith · Post by **Laura Smith** » 17 years ago

Woooooodbiiiiine.
Best turf course in North America. Gotta love it. B)

Keeneland is gorgeous too, though I've never been there for live racing.

Mandy Saunders · Post by **Mandy Saunders** » 17 years ago

Laurel Park. They really need to shut down Pimlico and fix it...or build New Pimlico (a promise Mr. Stronach has made and not kept). Laurel is 10 minutes from my boyfriend's appartment, so I'm always there watching races or watching the workouts.

Chris Carman · Post by **Chris Carman** » 17 years ago

Its a tie for me, Aqueduct and Oaklawn Park

Ian Nicastrin · Post by **Ian Nicastrin** » 17 years ago

Del Mar is beatifully built, well kept and big. Thou I don't care for the "backdrop" to the track... I prefer Santa Anita's mountains to apt buildings on a hill for Del Mar.

Ara Davies · Post by **Ara Davies** » 17 years ago

I like Gulfstream best because it is the closest one to me.

Plus I saw Barbaro and Bandini and Bernardini there and whenever I see the high-rises beyond the track it reminds me of the time I saw Coronado's Quest dump his rider and "head for Hallandale" on tv. That rocked, he was awesome. Also it is free for me to park and free for me to enter and I don't want a seat anyway and random people always end up trying to adopt me and give me food.

But really, my favorite I've gone to is Santa Anita. It is gorgeous and Emily was there to make it even better!

P.S. Actually I lie my favorite is the track at the Ventura County Fair with pig racing

Susie Rydell · Post by **Susie Rydell** » 17 years ago

Belmont, hands down.

IsaP · Post by **IsaP** » 17 years ago

I've been to two tracks.. The Red Mile for a horse show and Santa Anita for the BC. So... I guess Santa Anita.

Ara Davies · Post by **Ara Davies** » 17 years ago

Hey Sus, one day when I have money can I come visit you and we'll go to Belmont? I'll bring Sport (the stuffed horse).

Mallory Claire · Post by **Mallory Claire** » 17 years ago

I like Del Mar, though my experience is limited to only four CA tracks, Hollywood, Santa Anita, Del Mar, and Fairplex (haha CLASSY, let me tell you!). Del Mar is like a Spanish villa or something. Pretty flowers. Although I do agree with Ian, Santa Anita has a nicer backdrop.

Brianna McKenzie · Post by **Brianna McKenzie** » 17 years ago

Woodbine!

Ali Weasley · Post by **Ali Weasley** » 17 years ago

Santa Anita is my all time favorite, and would be even if I didn't have a huge California bias. I can't get enough of Del Mar in the summer, and I even pine for Fairplex while I'm away at school. Hollywood, however, is something I tolerate. Surprisingly, I find myself falling more and more in love with Los Alamitos. It's doesn't hurt that I worked there all summer and know a ton of really cool people there.

Belmont is gorgeous and is one of my fav's outside of my hometown. Especially in the Fall when all the leaves are all the pretty colors.

And, don't mock me, I adore the little rink-a-dink fair tracks. Rillito is like heaven to all us RTIPers in the winter, and I'll never forget my weekends at Hualapai Downs in Kingman a few years ago.

I think every track has a little special something. A unique history or a simple memory. I love it.

Jonathan Pac · Post by **Jonathan Pac** » 17 years ago

As crazy as this sounds Pimlico is still my favorite track. I think its because its where I learned to be a track rat and I can connect to so much local history that happened there. The spring meet also occurs during my favorite time of year (schools out/almost out, warm weather, mares and foals, breeding seasons half way done). That being said, the place is a dive, and its probally the worst venue in the world for an event that draws over 100,000 people.

The Keeneland meets in the Spring and Fall are always exciting, its probally my second favorite track. Some of my other standouts would be Saratoga in the Summer and the Fall Belmont meet. I can't say I can really hate any track because the racetrack is one of my favorite places to be. Although Colonial Downs is in the middle of no-where and you have to fight a bunch of beach traffic to get there. For whatever reason I never really liked Laurel, probally because everytime I have been there its been cold. Overall I think Hialeah thirty or forty years ago would be my dream track.