A Day at the Races - Arlington Park

One of the "big" attractions in Arlington Heights is the world class horse track known as Arlington Park. We had not been to the races before. Actually, I had never been to a horse race like this despite growing up near Saratoga, NY!

Dad and I placed a few wagers on some horses just for the fun of it. We both had some luck. I conservatively bet on horses to "place" to increase my chances of winning something. If you bet on a horse to place and it comes in 1st or 2nd, you win some amount. Good fortune was with me today as all three of my horses placed!

The names of the horses are always good for a chuckle. Names like Sir Winzalot, Delightful Vice and Go Go Mojo sprinkled the pages of our Racing Guide. In the fifth and last race we watched, my horse Smarty Mouth placed behind Lord Vader. Even Mom couldn't resist placing a small bet on the longshot (15:1) named Who's Your Buddy!

In the photo below, my horse McMurphy (how could I not bet on a horse with that fine Irish name?) sprinted by us but was eventually overtaken by Stover (#3). Colin took this great shot.

McMurphy (6) Sprints Toward the Finish

Colin and Grandpa Outside the Grandstand

All in all, it was a fairly enjoyable way to spend a few hours, and even more enjoyable since I won a few times. Laurie did not like it one bit though. Oh well. At least we know what it's like now and can tell future visitors about it.