Summer road trip

The turf’ll meet the surf today for the first time this year, and in a week they’ll be off at Saratoga for the millionth consecutive year (too lazy to look it up… sorry).

That confluence of events, perhaps combined with the impending demise of Hollywood Park and the rather less lamented probably final closure of Anthony Downs in Kansas, seems to have the blogosphere in a semi-reflective mood about racetracks.  Our pals at the Dresden Files are musing in an entertaining way about the world’s weirdest tracks (Number six: Hong Kong’s Happy Valley), while Ed DeRosa names himself the Track Collector, and with 54 ovals to his credit, it’s hard to argue with him.  For an entertaining ride to what seems to be about every backwater, jerkwater, or no-water track in North America, you might also check out the McChump tour, which, while now seemingly complete, comprised several years in search of, as they said, cheap thrills, cheap beer, and easy money.

For myself, I’m in the 20ish range of visiting tracks, including two in Ireland (Curragh, Ballinrobe).  I’ve enjoyed the roar of the crowd at opening days at Del Mar, Keeneland, and Saratoga.  I’ve hung with the hard-bitten railbirds at Suffolk and the Big A.  I’ve been at Belmont when it was overflowing with the promise of a Triple Crown, and at the same place when a spray of machine gun fire wouldn’t have hit a soul in the grandstand.

If I had infinite time, infinite money, and the ability to bend physics to my will, well, then I’d have quite a time during the next several weeks.  As it happens, I don’t have any of those things, but I do have more or less infinite blank space, so, a dreamed-about summer road trip:

We’ll start today with opening day at Del Mar.  Del Mar’s a terrific track that draws great crowds and great horses.  While it’s not my favorite track in the world — that’d be Saratoga — it’s actually the place where I think you can have the best day: the weather’s perfect every day, and you can spend an hour or two at the beach before wandering over to the races.  In the evening, the weather’s still perfect, and you can eat a good fish meal while looking out at the Pacific.  Nice.

Can’t spend too long in Del Mar, however, because Ireland beckons: the Galway races summer festival — one of the world’s leading meets for jump races — begins on July 27, with major races on the 29th and 30th.

We’ll hustle back for the return of racing to Maryland, August 1 at Laurel.  Laurel’s not on anybody’s must-see list, I know, but it’s our home track and there is, as Dorothy told us, no place like home.

From there, a quick jaunt up the road to Oceanport, NJ, for the Haskell at Monmouth.  While I’ve never been to the Haskell, Monmouth is on my short list of fave racetracks; beautiful old place, great location, and they treat horsemen well.  Somewhere amidst the boxes, I’ve got several of the trophies they provide the winner of each and every race.

We would be tired by this point, except, of course, that we’ve suspended the laws of physics for our purposes, so we’re just getting warmed up.

August 8 is the Arlington Million, and there seems no reason to miss that.  I’ve seen Arlington but never attended the races there; by all accounts, it’s a beautiful place, so we’ll check it out.  With 102 nominations, the Million should be quite an interesting race.

Then we’ll jet back to Ireland to attend the races at Ballinrobe on August 10.  Ballinrobe is a charming provincial track in County Mayo, whence came ancestors on my mother’s side.  Nothing like betting with bookies in the betting ring, as they call, with great (though faked) urgency, “Quickly, lads, quickly!”

I’m thinking the Sword Dancer at Saratoga on August 15 is a good idea.  Saratoga’s where I caught this racing bug of mine, and it remains just about my favorite place.  I’ve seen the Travers numerous times and most of the other major races at least once, but I don’t think I’ve attended the Sword Dancer.  Since I love grass racing and love Saratoga, it’s a perfect cocktail.  Not, perhaps, as perfect as the one I’ll have at Siro’s apres-race, however.

The following day finds us at Emerald Downs for the Longacres Mile, one of (I believe) only two graded stakes contested in August at a track other than Saratoga, Del Mar, Monmouth, or Arlington.  I’ve heard good things about Emerald, and the race is a “Win and You’re In” contest — what’s not to like?  Afterwards, perhaps a little break from racing: a quick jaunt over to Mt. Rainier might be in order.

Still time to head back to Saratoga for the Travers — sure, why not?  It’ll be too crowded, and some of my friends from the area will boycott because of that, but it’s still the Travers, and who knows who might show up?

Finally, we can grab a day or two at the Maryland State Fair at Timonium.  The racing is moderate to low-quality, and it’s a tiny bullring track, but Timonium gives you a flavor of what racing once was: a communal event, a packed grandstand filled with folks who don’t attend too many races, a celebration.  They may be cheap claimers running for a paltry purse, but with an enthusiastic crowd on hand, a Ferris wheel in the background, and the smell of fried dough floating through the air, you can’t help but smile a little nostalgic grin.

And there you have it: nine tracks, two countries, separated by around 5,500 miles.  I’m sure I’m missing your favorite track, or the race you’d most like to see; perhaps you’ll tell me about it in the comments.

Meantime, I’m tired.  Even after suspending the laws of physics, that was quite a journey.