Thursday, December 3, 2009

Thanksgiving at the Aqueduct (in random photos)

Per the Grieve family tradition, we spend Thanksgiving helping those more unfortunate than ourselves...in this case, the New York Racing Association, which inexplicably figures to have a $14 billion dollar deficit... So it was off to the Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, this past Thanksgiving.

I never know how much longer this place will be around. Aqueduct officials have unveiled plans to turn the racetrack into a racino. Again. And again.

So, to some random photos from this past Thursday.

A Ferrari in the parking lot. Must belong to a NYRA official!



Inside, the track was already a winter wonderland...with a scary-looking Santa...




...and, as the sign helpfully notes, there are live plants...



...and up we go...




Despite the sign, the barber shop was NOT open on Thanksgiving.



And Thanksgiving hot dogs were here.



...the racetrack bugler came into the Aqueduct's Equestris Restaurant and played some songs for a family celebrating their daughter's engagement.



In the second race, a jittery Saumon Fume dumped jockey Alex Bisono at the gate and raced around the track in last...



In the 96th running of the Fall Highweight, the $2 trifecta paid $3,377. I did not have the winning combo. But the fellow in front of me did. He had to get his photo taken for the IRS.



In any event, there was a decent-size crowd here. Still, Aqueduct can be a lonely place. It's seemingly full of people who have spent their lives being told what to do by parents, teachers, girlfriends, boyfriends, bosses, husbands, wives...and now, alone, they simply do what they want to do...Or maybe they just like putting some money on horses.



As always, I wonder how much longer Aqueduct will remain the same...




Previously on EV Grieve:
Thanksgiving at Aqueduct

Thanksgiving at the Aqueduct, Part 2

2 comments:

WB said...

Great report, as always.

The track is indeed the refuge of those who have been told what to do for far too long.

EV Grieve said...

Thanks, WB.