Harness Racing
And,
They’re Off!
by
B.D. Adams
©
2014
It was early June in Columbus, Ohio.
Nice and warm, and no hint of rain! Ryan Elliot got to the track early enough
to get a good parking spot for his 1973 Dodge Charger, a real cool car. His lead
was to Scioto Downs for horse harness racing; real cool horse power, also! The
parking fee was only $1.50. This was way south of Columbus on High Street. There
were many people already in the immense lot because the Casino was open 24/7
(he wasn’t that kind of gambler). By the time he would leave tonight, the lot would
be packed!
As the sun was setting, where the cars were
parked, it was still very warm. No clouds this late afternoon. But where the
stands faced the track, it would be very comfortable.
Ryan was a graduate student in philosophy at
Ohio State University. He was just a young man, of twenty-five, who really
loved philosophy and Sulky Racing. This day was a play-day for him – no
classes, nor was he needed at his part-time job at the bookstore.
Since he wasn’t a business man, he tried to
keep his wavy, dark blonde hair trimmed, but with his schedule, especially at
the university, he would let that grooming slide. And, he didn’t shave today. His
slender body, with average height, was attired in blue-jeans, a thin, dark blue
sweater with rolled up sleeves (it could get cool) and his well-worn sneakers. He
had his canvas shoulder bag that he’d carry almost everywhere he went. Women
had shoulder purses ... he had a funky, khaki colored shoulder bag!
Besides the parking, he always tried to get
to the Downs early to get a bottle of beer (others to follow later, depending
on his luck) and a basket of fried chicken strips for his supper. This was
always a treat for him --- go to the harness races, eat his supper at the track
and bet the races! Sulky harness racing, such fun to watch!!
Other early trackers were arriving,
he saw as they entered ahead of him. The gates for the track opened at 4:00pm,
first race posted at 7:10pm. The gamblers, who practically lived at the track,
were not fans like him, but die-hard gamblers! Ryan wondered, a few times, how
these men and women lived. They bet a lot, large amounts he would notice, which
meant they probably lost a lot of money, as well! They always dressed nicely --
nice slacks or trousers with appropriate shirts or blouses that always appeared
neat and clean. One man he saw often looked like he was a “dandy.” He imagined
the man was English, perhaps. Some of the older women would wear decorative
hats like at the Kentucky Derby. Very social these occasions could be. Ryan had
a small spiral notebook in the canvas bag to make notes for his classes (one
class was Forensic Psychology) about things he would see or hear or think. He
had his opinions, but never trained on them. He was there only for the races,
not to analyze.
After he paid the $1.00 entrance
fee, Ryan immediately saw a vendor inside who sold the betting/odds magazine,
racing forms, which he purchased immediately. The track would make its money
off the loosing gamblers! Of course, the magazine went into the bag. He
sauntered to the food kiosk that made the fried chicken. He nonchalantly
purchased the food and his Molson beer.
Once all was secured, he went to get a seat
in the Attended Seats of the Grand Stand. He’d pay $5.00 to have a seat to
always come back to, after he’d place his bets. This way, he didn’t clash with
rude or nasty people over a seating dispute, which had happened before he
learned about this kind of seating. He always slipped the Attendant, a track
employee, an extra ten-spot to better insure his seat. A little pricey, but it
was worth it.
He had sat in the Club House a few times,
that was very posh and a lot pricier. The food was very good and the ambiance
was very nice. However, he wasn’t well-off and the women who would go there
were looking for a Sugar-Daddy or a well-off husband.
He just went about his business. What a very nice late afternoon on
Thursday, he mused!! This would be deemed as the quiet time for the track. Even
though the races hadn’t begun, there were loud noises of all sorts!
The
loud-speakers detailed races at other tracks, while more people arrived and
laughed and yelled
to others. Ryan really liked this form of “quiet” because when the races would begin,
it would be anything but quiet! He went into the Attended Seats and chose his. He really enjoyed those Seats!
Now, Ryan was ready to take care of
his business. Before going to the track, his way, his routine was to fold a
twenty-dollar bill in his wallet, which would be his betting money, his “mad
money.” Mostly, he’d make $2 bets for place and show! The twenty would supply
his first bets. If he won, he’d then use the winnings for everything. Many
times he’d merely breakeven, but usually he’d win around $100, above and beyond
all of his food/drink debits! Always a thrill! When he lost, however, and got
down to that $20, he had the smarts to stop! However, with his ability, he
usually would be able to eat, drink and bet all evening.
Many of the drivers with their horses were on
the track jogging/exercising before the races.
Wikipedia Photo
As usual, Ryan would unthread the canvas bag
and place it on the seat squeezed between his left thigh and the arm-rest. He
gulped a good swig or two of his Molson beer, and then placed the bottle in one
cup-holders on the armrest, and then balanced the chicken on his right thigh
and just munched away. On the other knee, he opened the racing form to begin
his perusal of the races. He dug out a ballpoint pen from the bag to make his
needed markings onto the racing form.
His tradition was not to bet the
first race.
The odds board, by the track railing in the
in-field, that faced the stands, was lighted and already had all the numbers
for those first horses and drivers. The board indicated a “Fast Track,” which
meant that the track wasn’t wet or soggy. The track would be raked before the race,
to make the track more combed and even! The track’s crew was efficient!
Each year, Ryan always noticed the
gardens around the two boards. They were planted mostly with bulb plants and
many other plants; Irises and Daylilies and perennials and a bunch of seasonal
flowers! Lots of color! He knew his mother spent a lot of money and time on her
gardens, rest her soul. This was a very nice reminder of his mom – colorful and
alive.
He finished the chicken, placed the
thin cardboard box under the seat, to throw away later. Now, he could better
study the odds.
Other people entered the stands and
sat more below his seat, closer to the track, and a few were more up from his
seat. After a few moments, an older fellow sat in the row in front of him,
three seats to his right. They both just politely nodded to each other. Ryan
had never seen him before. The man had an iPad with him and he talked on a cell
phone. Ryan thought that was unnecessary for these races at this track. There
was a sign that discouraged the use of those phones, but that restriction was
not enforced.
Ryan’s attention went back to the
horses just in time to see one of his favorite driver’s come out onto the track
to work a horse that would not race for a couple of races. However, with what
he saw of this horse, he went to that page to make note about this pair. A good
“handi-capper” would not just bet the horse; the driver’s statistics were just
as important! This driver was very good, won many races. Ryan knew he would
make a bet on this horse and driver!
The Grand Stand, to the left of
where he sat, was filling up! More trackers sat in the Attended Seats, as well.
Three men sat two rows almost exactly behind him, but there was no comradeship
towards him as they past Ryan. Ryan decided they were fortyish – a bit paunchy
with character facial lines. They talked about statistics; what horse had the
best conformation, what horse was already sweating too badly, what driver was
in better shape for the Sulky. Those
men could use their suggestions for the drivers for themselves, Ryan smiled to himself.
Ryan was actually amused with what
these men said. Nothing but scrap-talk, but definitely things that should be
considered! He decided that they were novices, new to harness racing.
Perhaps, they were more with the running tracks – Thoroughbreds. Harness horses were
of the Standardbred breed! As tall as Thoroughbreds, but definitely more
sturdy, longer!
As luck would have it, a group of
four middle-aged women slid into his row and apologized
for bumping him. Ryan merely smiled and said, “No problem.” He just hoped they
weren’t the kinds that are up and down worst than a merry-go-round. They had
their drinks and snacks and were chatting to each other about the racing form.
Presently, though, one of the women
moved to sit beside him, with a wide grin, and asked, “Could I ask you a
question?”
Ryan didn’t want to appear rude, but
he didn’t want to be bothered with silly questions all race, either. So, he
asked, “A question?” He smiled nicely without rudeness and said, “Sure.”
She held the racing form and pointed
to the front cover and asked, “Do the jockeys get
thrown out of those little wagons?”
This question rather tickled Ryan.
When he had first started to come to these races, he wondered the same thing.
He smiled slightly and informed, “Well, that can happen, but not very often.
And, just so you know, those are not wagons, they’re Sulkies, very light weight
racing carts.”
“Oh ...,” was all she said. She
continued to study the photo.
“Another thing to know, the men are
not jockeys, they’re drivers. Occasionally, there are women drivers. I believe
there are only men driving tonight.” He wanted to inform/teach this woman
without being spiteful.
“Oh ...,” she said again.
“Any other questions?” Ryan asked.
“My friends and me have been wanting
to come here for years, but with this, we have no idea what to do! What do all
these numbers mean?” The woman opened to the first race.
Well, this was what he didn’t want
to have happen. Next time he should sit in a higher row. However, because his
mother didn’t raise an Aardvark, he would do what he could.
“I don’t mean for you to give me a
crash course in betting, but a pointer or two would be helpful,” she said with
a small grin. Ryan was very glad that she said this.
With his calm way, Ryan opened his
form and pointed to the marks he had made, as he instructed, “I make these
marks to figure which horse to bet on. The more marks a horse gets, that’s the
one I bet on. For instance, this horse (he points to the horse’s name with his
pen) has won more first places, this one more third places. Then, look at the
driver’s statics – first place wins, and so on. And, over here, it shows the
races for the last month where the same horses had raced against each other,
how they placed – win, place or show ... first, second, third.” Ryan gave his
brief lesson and waited for her to respond, however, he wanted to be pragmatic and
added, “Of course, many bets are made on the horse’s name or just how the horse
looks ... there
is really no firm way to pick the horses.” He smiled to her and hoped she
wasn’t offended.
“Which horse are you betting on?”
she asked. Her eyes gave him a pleading look.
Ryan honestly gave her his reason of
not betting the first race. She thanked him for his input, but seemed somewhat
perturbed with him. She went back to her friends. They all spoke quietly to the
woman who was his student.
As for almost any racing night,
nothing is the same, other than the fact that there is horse racing. Ryan had
seen several match-ups of men and women, had seen angry couples of all
different configurations, old friends who met and new friendships that made him
think of the movie “Casablanca!”
It didn’t take long, but one man, of
the three men, slid down and over to the seats behind Ryan’s row, and began to
talk quietly to the group of woman. Well, that was more of what the two groups
wanted. Ryan heard the man say, “Yeah. Look down there ... lots of people stand
down there.” He pointed out, “These seats are yours, you’ve paid for them ...
if you don’t like what we tell you, you can come back here (which was slightly
correct).” The man grinned like a Cheshire Cat!
The women decided to take a chance on these
men. They stood and scooted out of the row. The three men followed right behind
them from their seats.
All Ryan could think was, “I hope they have
mace!” He really didn’t want to see this in the news tomorrow morning. But
then, he shouldn’t be so skeptical!! He went back to his form.
Within a short while, the Sulkies were driven
off the track. Two tractors, towing the wide rakes, came onto the track to make
it so smooth. Soon, the fun would begin!
The race announcer welcomed all the fans and
had everyone stand to hand salute, as the recorded National Anthem was played
while the Flag was raised in the in-field.
The flag was where the winning horses and
drivers would go after the race where owners and trainers could receive their
recognitions and awards. The stake races, such as the “Heart of Ohio Trot” and
the “Capital City Pace” and others, the horses would acquire a flower blanket
over their harness ... very prestigious!! There were only a couple races like
this tonight. Those races were scheduled more for Friday or Saturday. More
excitement for novice race fans!
After the tractors vacated the track, the
horses and drivers for the first race came out onto the track to pass to and
fro in front of the Stands so the Fans could scrutinize the horses. The
announcer introduced the names of the eight horses and drivers for this race.
These horses were trotters; left hooves touched while right hooves were pointed front and back, and so on. Pacers would move right legs forward and left legs backwards, etc.
These horses were trotters; left hooves touched while right hooves were pointed front and back, and so on. Pacers would move right legs forward and left legs backwards, etc.
Now, the moving gate went to the second turn of
the track to await the horses with their Sulky drivers. The gate was constructed
from a GMC Yukon that had metal flaps at the back of the car that, when opened,
almost spanned the track. The horses would put their noses almost touching the
gate before the gate would fold the flaps to start the race at the fourth turn.
There were so many people scampering about,
as they went to the betting windows to place their bets. Each bet was handled with
reverence! Until the race was over, that was gold!
Ryan was fairly sure which horse would win
... the one he didn’t bet!
Then, without any further announcements, the
long, pealing bell-ring was heard to tell the drivers to get their horses to
the gate! The drivers immediately tapped their small chariots. The gate accelerated
to keep up with the horses! Then the flaps closed, the gate left the track, horses
were more than ready!!
“And they’re off!!” the announcer stated.
Wikipedia Photo
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