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Originally Posted by TheSpyder
Earliest memory was Randall Park in Cleveland as an eight year old with my mom. She loved the races...and the rest is history.
Later growing up from 14 on would go to the Big T (Thistledowns) through high school. If you've been there you know you can only go up from there and next track was Churchil for the Derby.
Being in sales traveled the US taking in most tracks.
Why do I do this? The challenge, excitement, horses, the people. Yea, gambling is a big part of it but becoming less, especially thanks to Steve, in the enjoyment of learning more about the sport...and having your own (albeit small part) of a horse.
Bottomline it's one of the few things in life where you get back more than you put in.
Spyder
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My personal story would pretty much echo
Spyder's
I've been going to the track and following the horses for fifty years.
Fifty years. Half a century stuff!
And, I'm now 51.
My mother didn't drive, as most mothers didn't back in the late 1950's and early 1960's. But, she'd call a cab and lug me to the track, even as an infant. I've posted around here before, but it's a true story that I was reading the DRF and the Cleveland Plain Dealer sports page at age 4 and 5.
I've also posted before that I won a major spelling bee in the legs to the Washington finals by correctly spelling the word "inquiry." When the principal inquired live on stage how I was so confident in the spelling, I let the audience know that I had seen the word on the odds board at the track many times before.
Ascot Park was my first and most beloved track.
The track that Eddie DeBartolo bought and closed in the mid-1960's.
At this moment, I'm looking at a nicely framed original ink winner's circle photo from Ascot Park. July 1, 1950. "Fly Demon" was the winner, with "H.Craig" up. Owned and trained by "O. Meredith." "7 furlongs in 1:26 2/5-Fast". The "Akron-Cleveland Purse." I bought it last year on eBay for just a couple bucks. I was ready to go 50 times higher to get it, but apparently I'm one of the few who know, care or remember Ascot Park.
I, too, darkened the door of Randall,
Spyder.