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Originally Posted by Ogygian
I have to admit when I first read this I was pissed, then I realized that the Ohio Derby is not what is used to be due to Thistledown not being what it used to be. I remember the days of Lost Code, Broad Brush, King Glorious, Demons Begone... then fast forward to a few years to Skip Away. Do to where I lived (Erie, Pa) it was the biggest race of the year that I could see with out driving too far...Commodore-Erie Downs was a dump...so at the time it was a thrill to go see the Derby. Back then the track was packed, the card was good...Rose Debartolo, met D Watne...
In recent years the I have watched the decline of Thistledown...moving the Derby all over the calendar...the past few years I wouldn't even go, which is aweful. The place is like a giant homeless shelter in the worst part of town, not to mention the quality of racing is pathetic.
A few weeks back, Steve had a caller from Cleveland say he go to Thistledowns to go "upstairs" to bet on the "high quality" racing and ignore the low level horses that run at the track. And there is where he hit the problem...no one wants to go to the track to watch a poor product, in the worst part of town, and in my opinion it is a lot easier to handicap quality racing then that junk. Hence we never see a great pick 4 play at Thistle or Retama in the selections.
I'm not sure what the answer is, it is aggravating and embarrassing.
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Maybe Dennis "the menace" Kucinich should spend more time worrying about his home district than how the media loved "Yankees" are dealing with tax breaks?
As other posters have noted, Thistledown and The Ohio Derby have always been a "down on the farm" baseball team analogy for me in terms of thoroughbred racing.
And I'm from Cleveland, and an unabashed and probably longer term real thoroughbred fan than most here.
True story, a couple days after my mother died about 14 years ago, I stopped by the track for the first time in maybe 10 years. I was on my way to Cleveland Hopkins to catch a flight for work for the week on a contract in Hartford CT.
I only had about 90 minutes of action before I had to keep going from Thistledown to catch the flight.
I never really got along too well with my Mother. I'm sure most can write the same.
But in keeping with the true story, in my last race I could bet and still make the flight I looked up and asked if she could assist with my wager in her recently departed state.
I ended up with a $20 exacta box that paid a little over $80 on a $2 ticket.
I made my flight with about $1,000 in profits for my one hour or so at Thistledown that day.
True.
I've asked for her help on later occasions to no betting avail.
I think she got lucky that day.