Friendly/Unfriendly tracks

[Ballerina]

What tracks have you been to and what are the friendliest and unfriendliest?

http://www.tmeter.com/racetrackmap.html

I've been to Monmouth, Atlantic City, Aqueduct, Belmont, Saratoga, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Colonial Downs, and El Comandante.

The friendliest is Keeneland, and the unfriendliest is Churchill Downs. Aqueduct and Belmont aren't any day at the beach. Saratoga, Momouth, Atlantic City, and Colonial Downs are all okay. El Comandante was so long ago, I don't rightly remember, but I do remember it being a beautiful track.

[auburndee1]

I live near Monmouth. I know many non race fans who went there (especially on family Sunday) and came back with HUGE WOWs: they just went for a local outing and had no idea it would be so much fun.

[Whos the Cowboy]

Where can I start:I've been to in this order:Waterford, The Meadows, Philadelphia, Penn National, Scioto, Garden State, Atlantic City, Belmont, Monmouth, Meadowlands, Santa Anita, Charles Town, Mountaineer, Thistledown, River Downs, Delaware, Oaklawn, Turfway, Churchill, Keeneland(when they had a sale, only), Portland Meadows, Presque Isle and Tampa Bay Downs. On my bucket list to visit are:Woodbine, Arlington, Keeneland(for live racing), Del Mar, Hollywood. Although I'm not a polycrap fan, I want to visit the facilities.

As to the beauty of the facilities, Monmouth and Santa Anita rate 1 and 1a, Keeneland, then comes Penn National and Presque Isle(because they are newer). The rest rate from OK:Meadowlands, Philadelphia(The PHA since they remodeled), Oaklawn and Tampa Bay Downs would be on top, most of the rest I would rate as run down dumps, including Belmont and Churchill. I was not impressed with either.
The worst: Beulah, Thistle, River, Turfway. These places are filthy, old and the people who run the places don't give a crap about the product or the customers.
I rate Monmouth and Santa Anita at the top because management at both places try a little harder to attract racing fans and keep them, both seem to care about marketing their product. The others I haven't been to enough to know better.

I wish that more race tracks would make an attempt to satisfy the customers as much as the casino operators do. Then again, casinos bring in more $$$ than race tracks do. But, still, my favorite tracks don't make the same $$$ that casinos do, but they still make an effort in caring about the facility, it's racing product, and it's customers.

The diamond in the rough of these tracks was Tampa Bay Downs. It's a smalller and older facility, but they treat their customers well and attempt to provide a respectable racing product. That's all I ask of any track:try to show that you care for your facility and it's customers.

[Whos the Cowboy]

I live near Monmouth. I know many non race fans who went there (especially on family Sunday) and came back with HUGE WOWs: they just went for a local outing and had no idea it would be so much fun.

See my post after yours: the people at Monmouth try hard to present an enjoyable experience to their customers.

[Rick1323]

In general a lot of the Southern tracks are friendly. Lone Star, Remington, Tampa Bay and Oaklawn come to mind.

[JT Dancer]

Tracks I've been to: Churchill Downs, Evangeline Downs, Fairgrounds, Hollywood Park, Keeneland, Laurel, Oaklawn, Santa Anita, Saratoga.

Most fan friendly: Keeneland, Santa Anita (also to me the most beautiful), Hollywood Park, Oaklawn, and Saratoga.

Absolute worst: Churchill Downs and not far below that Fairgrounds, which is not surprising since it's owned by Churchill Downs. Churchill Downs does not seem to understand the concept of fan (or bettor) friendly.

[RSA]

Are we talking about the crowd or the staff?

[Whos the Cowboy]

Are we talking about the crowd or the staff?

The topic is racetrack environment. I expanded it to express my feelings about the entire racetrack experience.

[Little Watermelon]

The friendliest track, based on staff and customers is Woodbine. Suffolk has a lot of nice people working for them, also.

Belmont is not a dump, it is a beautiful track, my favorite. Thistledown had a creepy feel to it, but maybe that was because of the security patrolling the parking lots, and Burton Sipp training there.

Saratoga has its charms, but I don't find it to be particularly fan-friendly. The racing cards are what make it special.

[EquineAnne]

Oaklawn, Keeneland, Churchill, Santa Anita, and the Chicago tracks, i.e. Arlington, Hawthorne, Sportsman (when it was open). Many years ago, Hialeah.

I have to say that my fav experience all the way around was Santa Anita. Flew out to see Lava Man race in March of 2007. I saw Zen at Oaklawn so that was a great time too. Keeneland is the prettiest, IMO and Churchill, because of it's history, is magical. Of my hometown tracks, I actually like Hawthorne better than AP. Arlington is lovely but I have more fun at Hawthorne.

[stark]

Starting a day out at Clockers Corner at Santa Anita will be a racetrack moment worth remembering for years to come. Sunrise with jocks/owners/trainers all in casual attire just having a cup of coffee watching the magnificent horses up close as they get in their work, it's unlike any other track experience for me as you can just blend right in. For the novice as well as experienced guest, the weekend FREE shuttle tours of the backside are a definite plus, not sure how many tracks even try this?

Then there's DelMar, where there's as much action in the grandstands as there is on the track, beauty after beauty no matter which way your lookin, good stuff you don't easily forget, and seldom if ever does the weather play a negative roll in making your plans for a day at the races.

[The Tin Man]

Friendliest track here is Santa Anita. Hollywood is pretty friendly too ... Del Mar ... not so much.

[Ty88]

I've been to Oaklawn and Fair Meadows. Oaklawn is great. Fair Meadows, nobody talks to you much, though if you start the conversation people are fine. I've made friends with ticket takers and jockeys there.

[Somnambulist]

Monmouth is really great. I've brought a lot of non horse people there and they all have fun and comment on how great it is.

I love Belmont, but could see how people wouldn't. A degenerate NY crowd isn't always that fun.

[curtisw]

Friendliest track here is Santa Anita. Hollywood is pretty friendly too ... Del Mar ... not so much.

Del Mar is far and away my favorite of the three so. CA tracks. You have to put up with crowds but if you've got young kids, Camp Del Mar is priceless. Rolling the parking into the admission--Hollywood Park--just irks me. It completely takes away any incentive to carpool. When I've complained about it I'm told I'm really "not paying any more, I just don't understand." As for Santa Anita, as much as I don't care for Team Magna, they're reign is Camelot compared to the Cliff Goodrich era. I do think Mike Willman gets the proverbial it.

[Ty88]

I love Belmont, but could see how people wouldn't. A degenerate NY crowd isn't always that fun.

Try a degenerate Oklahoma crowd. This is how I feel about FM. I can see how people hate it, but I'm there every summer.

[serenassong]

Belmont is not a dump, it is a beautiful track, my favorite.

Ditto on that. The back area with the trees where the horses are saddled is beautiful. Most people don't wander down in that area in the back, it is lovely. I have been to the Spa, you can feel the history of it all in the air. Love the backside tour.

There are good and bad people wherever you go. I have had no problems at Belmont, The Spa, or an occasional trip to Yonkers raceway. I tend to engage in conversation down on the rail, walking ring, or even in my seat up in the stands. I've had people that you can tell are newbies ask me questions and try and help them. I find it good luck, perhaps a karma thing, because each time I have done this, have won nicely.

I have been to Keenland, but not while they were racing- just on a tour. Very nice as well.

One of these days, will venture out to the Cali tracks- love to see HP and Santa Anita.

I have heard nothing nice about Churchill, and unless someone invites me to Millionaries row, guess I won't go, lol.

[Ballerina]

It's been a decade since I've been to Belmont. Not sure if it needs a facelift, but all I remember was oak, marble, green leather, and shiny brass. The paddock was lovely. Seating was comfortable. Food was good. Maybe it's changed.

I do know getting there was an exercise in terror - coming across the Belt Parkway from the Verranzano Bridge was like driving a Psycho Path. But, once you got to Belmont, it was heaven.

[serenassong]

I love Belmont, but could see how people wouldn't. A degenerate NY crowd isn't always that fun.

Most of my relatives are from the Bronx, Queens and Long Island. Perhaps I'm just used to the way they are, so it doesn't bother me in the least. If you do decide to wear something from a sports team, make sure it's NY, not Boston- that's just asking for trouble, lol

[TapitsGal]

Saratoga is by far and away my favorite track.I didn't go on Travers Day,but i did get to see some pretty good horse race in person (Like Now is an example) and the food was awesome.We did the morning backside tour and stopped off at this little diner for breakfast afterwards(can't for the life of me remember the name of the diner though)