Racetrack Diaries
Atlantic City Race Course
Atlantic City Race Course used to be a decent track that ran in the summer
after Garden State Park would finish off their meet. It also had one of the best
turf courses and not it is a shell of it's former self. The last year there
was any sort of racing season was in 1997 when Lisa Dellipaoli won the riding
title. Now they race a couple live dates a year so they can simulcast there
year round. Well, it is 2003 and this year they are running a 3 day live meet
with all turf racing. I managed to work all 3 days and here is what happened on
the last of the 3 live dates and it might be the last live racing ever at this
track. In the first race my good buddy Kendrick Carmouche won and it make it
look easy. Lots of these horses were either shipping in from down south or
making their first starts in man y months. What a shame the place looks like it
does. No tote board, no photo finish pics, no colors, no nothing. Was really sad
walking around at times.
In the 2nd race a 20-1 morning line bomb won on a horse that never was on the
turf before for trainer Ralph Smith. The trifecta paid $805.50. In the next
race Kendrick Carmouche wins another one on a horse called Punch On Run. The
horse went wire to wire and just buried this field by 7 lengths. In the 4th race
Nick Santagada comes off the pace and wins for Elizabeth Miller on a very
good horse. Race #5 is a mile and a 16th with a full field of 12. Horse
Duplicate
Ticket with Victor Molina goes wire to wire on a horse that had not been
out
since March and it was early May. Kendrick made it 3 wins on the day in race
#6 as he guided home Royal Rapids off the pace at a mile and 1/16 for the win.
In the last race maybe ever a 15-1 morning line shot with Eddie King beats
some really nice turf horses and just gets up in the nick of time and pays $20
to win. Well, I hope they race again next year and I'll see you at the races.