[ScottJ]

Today is closing day for the Fonner Park 2020 Racing Season. Wagering dollars will likely be drawn to the "Dinsdale Pick-5 Jackpot" mandatory payout (an expression that now rolls off my tongue easily), but there are many other reasons to take a moment and recognize this year's meeting.

First and foremost, Fonner Park raced. Since mid-March on Mondays through Wednesdays, Fonner Park and I became friends. A clear broadcast signal, solid announcing, strong pools, and competitive racing made these weeks of quarantine just a bit more bearable. And lest you think rural America was safe from COVID-19, Fonner Park was only 1.5 miles away from a ruthless meat packaging plant outbreak. Amazingly, Grand Island was in the national news twice in a month.

Chris Kotulek and his team did an amazing job filling programs, attracting some horses from Oaklawn, and keeping the backstretch together as long as possible. His press pieces and interviews were honest and showed the grassroots efforts being undertaken in his Grand Island gamble. Even with trailers leaving for other seasonal destinations, closing programs were presented with (nearly) full fields.

Memorial Day reminded us however that not every fairy tale has a magical ending. Without TVG coverage, Fonner Park handled "only" $779,000 as it banged heads with Churchill, Santa Anita, and Gulfstream. So as I get ready for my Belmont meeting to begin, horse racing reality has now set in once again.

If there was an award for "Race Track of the Year", Fonner Park 2020 would have to be in the discussion. Not because of the nickle-platers, Nebraska breeding programs, four furlong sprints, three turn miles, throw-back infield toteboard, or any single big score that I made this season. Fonner Park kept the game going by carving out a simulcast market with multimillion dollar handles. Fonner Park put together purse money not only to run the meet in front of empty stands, but managed to extend the meeting through today keeping people employed.

All said, maybe that was a magical ending in itself?

Thank you, Fonner Park. See you in 2021.