Richie - great piece. I had a bit of the same feeling this past meet, exacerbated by the launch of NYRA's terrific new HD feed at Living Room Downs that you noted.

After the meet was over though, I ended up feeling pangs of remorse over the few weekends that I did miss this year (the first such in over three years), like that final weekend in the backyard when Belmont3, Sean D, Uncle Bill, and Topcat were all harmoniously cheering home and subsequently celebrating TGAB’s $56 analysis winner Maggiesfreuddnslip.

As you mentioned in a post yesterday (thanks for the kind words btw), I’m fond of telling my own “back in the 1970s"(late70s/early80s for me) story about how my Dad and I would drive 40 minutes after I got out of school every day to the Hoosick Falls OTB, and often straight through along scenic Rte 9 to the Saratoga Harness simulcast facility, to check the Will Pays in the last race. At the time, I’d be hopping with excitement over the thought of watching another easy “smart-money” winner cruise home at double-digit odds.

What I didn’t realize until many years later, but which I think my Dad knew all along, was that it was never about the race.


It was all about the ride.