Hanging down at Delaware Park.
Racetrack Diaries
DELAWARE PARK/CHARLESTOWN/PIMLICIO ROAD TRIP SEPTEMBER 18 AND 19TH
Well I decided to get away for a couple days and what better place than to go to race tracks he he.
A beautiful sunny day on September 18, 2002 as I headed to Delaware Park. Delaware Park is a very beautiful track just over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. This track would have closed years agoif not for the slot machines. They have a huge floor with tons and tons of them. The purses here have skyrocketed since they got the one arm bandits.
|
Hanging down at Delaware Park. |
Delaware Park has a beautifiul picnic area and there is always free admission and parking. In the 1st race at a mile, jockey Joe Rocco Jr. stalked jockey Anthony Black on the heavy favorite and as he went by he cost me the trifecta. Glad I’m off to a good start. 2nd race was a 5 1/2 furlong affair and I decided to just play a win bet and I went with hot trainer, Scott Lake’s horse. Scott’s horse led most of the way and then he dided in the stretch and I’m 0-2. Nice pick-up mount ride by Eibar Coa. Horse went off 7-1 which is a great price for Coa. The 3rd race a six furlong maiden special weight with a purse of $39,000. Trainer G. Preciado had a nice horse running and he told me if he won I could get in the winner’s circle. Decided to try and hit the trifecta in this race. Did not hit the trifecta, but Mr. Preciado’s horse won and I got in the winner’s circle, which was just way too cool. That ruled and thanks Mr. Preciado, you rule as well. In the 4th race jockey Oliver Castillo edged out Jeremy Rose and I did not hit the exacta. In the 5th race I played an exacta straight, hoping Eibar Coa would win with Jeremy Rose for second. Jeremy Rose beats me out, going wire to wire. In the 6th race, Scott Lake wins and I get to go in the winner’s circle again, only this time with the nations leading trainer. 2 winner circle pictures in one day. Who cares that I have not cashed a ticket ha ha. |
After the 6th race I got in my car and headed down
695 toward Charlestown Racetrack. It is about 2 hours from Delaware Park. Got
into Charlestown around 5pm and checked into my room. Went out an had a great
jog and I sweated up a storm. After a shower and I bite to eat I headed over to
the track. I love Charlestown! Nice little 5/8’s track with slot machines. I
love the atmosphere here and I like smaller tracks. Went with a 1-9 exacta box
in the opener. 4 1/2 furlongs you better get out of the gate quick. I throw the
6 horse out and he beats me ha ha. Oh Charlestown also has slot machines and
their purses are insane and they run live racing all year round. In race #2 I
bet the 10 horse who won at the same distance and same money wise race last
time. Didn’t even come in the money this time ha ha.
I finally hit a race as I bet on jockey Travis Dulkelberger and he boots the 7 horse home for me. A bug girl got 2nd making for quite the exacta at 36-1. Wish I had the exacta, but was just happy at this point to cash a ticket. A shocker in the next race. A horse that did not even finish it’s last 2 races ends up coming off the pace and wins the race at 17-1 easily. 5th race I put Travis on top with 2 semi long shots in a 1 mile and 1/2 race. Had the right numbers, but not in the right order, so I don’t collect. Rafael Medina in his only mount of the night buries me in the next race. My 2 horses are not anywhere to be found. 7th race I played 2 different trifectas and even through in Sarah Gibson on a 30-1 shot in one of the tickets. Again I had the right numbers, but not in the right order and the trifecta pays $90.00. I missed the next 2 races cause I was doing something more important: talking to jockey Sarah Gibson ha ha. She is losing her bug tommorow and I will see her ride at Pimlico tommorow. Well I played the last race and played a 15-1 shot to win to try to get even and he got 2nd and a 28-1 shot won the race as he went by my horse with less that a 100 yards to go. Well at least I got a picture with Sarah Gibson he he.
Getting ready to hit the weights at Gold's Gym in Charlestown, West Virginia |
Well I went to bed and then the next morning I got up and headed over to Gold’s Gym in Charlestown and had a great arm workout and did an hour on the treadmill and took a shower and onto Pimlico I went. Upon arriving at the track I could not believe that the Preakness is run here. This track is a damn dump to be honest with ya. At least I got in free with my PA Racing License he he. This track really needs some fixing up to say the least and I thought Laurel was bad. |
Well I tried to hit a trifecta in race #1and they bet the #2 horse down and I threw him out of course and I lost ha ha. Looks like it is gonna be another great day at the track. I missed the 2nd race talking to Donna Bonafiglia and I wished I missed the 3rd race as well as a 20-1 bomb came in and ruined my superfecta.
| Race #4 I decided to go play the jockey route and played Larry Renoylds. Horse was a closer, the horse never closed and a bug rider beats me. 5th race is up and I put $10 to win on Sarah Gibson who came in to ride the one race. And win she did as she went wire to wire on the turf on a Delaware Park shipped horse and I got to go in the winner’s ciccle for the 3rd time on this trip. In race #6 jockey Calixto Juarez gets the lead early and holds on to win at 30-1! That was a shocker to say the least. 7th race a chalk horse won by a head and I had him, but not the exacta. I decide to stay for the 8th race and then head on back home. I put Scott Lake’s horse up with 3 other horses in the exacta. Would be nice to hit a race and then leave. 8-1 morning line shot gets bet down and goes off 5-2 and wins wire to wire by at least 10 lengths. Well it was a fun weekend and I’ll do it all over again next month. |
A double thumbs up! Me and Sarah Gibson at Pimlicio Racetrack in Maryland after she won a race and yes I got in the winner's circle. |
See ya at the races and in the winner’s circle.
