Horse Racing

Horse racing is another form of gambling that you might enjoy. A $2 wager is all it takes to bet on your favorite horse. Watch this great 2.26 minute video. You will see and hear the excitement of the horse races!

http://www.970espn.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=443882&article=10176675

Delvin Miller http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHUrb6f3wk&feature=relmfu founded and opened the Meadows Racetrack on June 28, 1963. In the summer of 1974, I learned how to bet on the horses after turning 18 years old.

In 1984 the Breeders Crown race was at the Meadows. Dragon’s Lair a local horse owned, trained and driven by Jeff Mallet won the race over  a great field of horses. He set a world record and beat the undefeated Nihilator. Roger Huston made one of my all-time favorite calls of a race. Watch the video! I am on the outside apron near the track.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZUAAnTlNmI

Our local Casinos have only been open in their present locations since August of 2009. Now you can bet on the horses and play the Casino games too.

Take exit 41 on I-79 to bet the horses at The Meadows Racetrack and Casino  http://meadowsgaming.com . You can bet on live and simulcast horse racing at the Race Book.

When you enter the main Casino entrance, go towards your right to the escalator or walk down the stairs. Of course you can go through the Casino (you must be 21) and out to the grandstand and the racetrack.

This is for anyone who wants to go to the racetrack. If you need a little break from the Casino, go watch a race or two. Our goal is to provide info for you to find the racetrack, bet  and how to win at the races.

As you are walking downstairs you will see the Racebook lounge. There are plenty of seats and TV’s for you to watch the races. The races are being broadcast from tracks from all across the USA. Some races are from other countries.

You can watch thoroughbreds and standardbreds race at the other tracks during the week. When we have live racing, you can also bet live racing at the other tracks too.

You can even watch your regular TV shows in the Racebook lounge. Let’s go find the track now.

You will pass the state of the art 24 Bowling Lanes on your right. The betting windows are on your immediate left. The Poker Room is on your far left beyond the betting windows.

Delvin’s Trackside is now on your right. Walk past Delvin’s and past the area of tables and chairs. Then go outside beyond the glass doors out to the racetrack.

The betting windows have live tellers to take your bets. If you ask the tellers how to to make your bet, they will try to help. The tellers have helped us many times over the years. They do not know who is going to win, so don’t ask.

There are also self-service wagering machines. We still like to bet with the tellers.

Located upstairs from the racetrack is the indoor area of the grandstands. This area is just off the Casino floor. It is next to the Casino floor level Food Court. If you are 21 you can walk through the Casino to the Grandstand. You will find the easy access to the outdoor Grandstand seating.

Self-service wagering machines are nearby. To cash in your winning tickets they also have cashier cages just for you. The Meadows has many nice big screen TVs, plush seats and tables for you to watch the local and simulcast races at the Casino floor level.

Horse racing programs can be purchased near the betting windows and at their off track sites. These programs provide a lot of great handicapping information for you to use. To make a bet you do not need to buy a program.

If you feel lucky, just bet on your favorite names, numbers or colors. We have watched family, friends and others do that. Sometimes they even win. We also know plenty of great handicappers who make money betting on the horses.

If you are 18 years old, you can wager $2 on a horse. As we stated before, a baby or anyone underage is also welcome to watch the races. Even if you bet on a horse, you can not enter the casino unless you are 21 years old. Security will always ask for your ID if you look too young to them.

We will go over some of the basics of betting and watching the Horse races. This way even if this is your first visit to the races, you will sound like you have done this before.

Remember to get a free Players Club Card to use while you are betting on the horses. When you have a big winner (over $1200), they will provide you with a profit/loss statement to help save you some money when you file your taxes.

Here is our basic information on the horse races.

The race usually covers the distance of one mile. The type of horses that race here are called Standardbreds. They are also referred to as “Harness Horses”.

The horses that run in The Kentucky Derby have a jockey in the saddle and are called Thoroughbreds. They men and women who race at The Meadows are called Drivers. You should never call them a jockey.This tip alone will make it seem like you know what you are talking about.

To keep it simple, the horses are known as either Pacers or Trotters. They have two very different and specific types of gaits.

The Pacers have a two legged side to side racing gait. Their right front leg and right rear leg hit the track at the same time. Then the left side alternates during the race.

They usually wear a piece of equipment called hopples around their legs to help keep them pacing. We can not name all the other types of equipment that they must wear while racing. Each horse also has to wear a head number so that we can tell who we have bet on.

The Trotters have a diagonal race gait. Their right front leg and their left rear leg hit the track at the same time. Then the left front leg and the right rear leg follow. They do not usually wear hopples when trotting.

Each horse must maintain their gait while racing. If they go off stride (make a break) they must slow down and go to the outside of the track. This is where you need a Driver with the skills to get the horse back on stride quickly. 

They can still come back to win the race. We have watched this happen once in awhile at the races.

The racing program has a lot of great information on the horses. It will show you what type of race it is and the purse that they are trying to win. Usually the horse’s last 5 race results are  in the program. As you know, if you don’t have a program don’t worry.

Roger Huston, the track announcer will go over some of the statistics in the program. He will also tell you about the horse’s records, type of race, purses, owners, trainer’s records, driver’s records, current track conditions and much more. He will even tell you who is going to win, place and show.

Does he come up with some winners? Yes he does. When I was on his show many years ago he beat me by one win. His morning line predictions are at the bottom of the page of the program for each race. You must listen to him call the races.

Horses race for the purses that are listed at the top of the page. When you make a bet you get paid on the top three finishes. The horses/owners get paid on the top five spots. The percentages that they receieve are as follows: 1st 50%, 2nd 25%, 3rd 12%, 4th 8% and 5th 5%. This is how the horse owners make money. They do not have to bet on their horse to make money.

Now you know more than the casual gambler at the track.

If you are interested in owning a horse or want more details of this great sport go to http://themsoa.com . They have a lot  of great information and even have video replays of the races. Here is some more information.

The horses all pull a two wheeled race bike ( sulky) and a Driver around the all-weather racetrack. Remember that the Driver is not called a jockey. The Drivers wear helmets and goggles for safety. They also have their own special racing colors.

The races are usually at the distance of one mile. You will hear or read that the racetrack is only a 5/8 of a mile limestone and clay all-weather track. It has banked turns similar to the tracks that the cars race on.

There are pylons along the inside of the track,  instead of a hubrail for safety. Horses can pass on the inside near the Finish Line. It is called the Lighting Lane. A horse that is behind can now pass the leading horse to win.

You will see a large START sign across from the grandstands. They will race counter clockwise around the track. Only left turns  are made during the race. Your horse will pass the grandstand after the first quarter.

You will see your horse again at the Finish Line. The Finish Line is clearly marked in front of the grandstand. The track photographer stands across from the Finish Line near the trackside fence. The photographer takes a picture of the finish of the race. They also take a picture of the winning horse, driver and owners in the Winner’s Circle.

Find out “HOW TO” BET the Horses on the next page!