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RIP Derby Lane

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Jake from State Farm, Dec 25, 2020.

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  1. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    How does Arlington Park in Chicago stay open? The track is on a Chicago mass transit stop, and at the intersection of an expressway and a main arterial. I would have to think it is worth more dead than alive.
     
    LanceyHoward, Dec 26, 2020
    #13
  2. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Damn, I loved Derby Lane. Went many, many times when I lived and worked in St. Pete. I remember one night was a downpour and the water would pool to the inside, so a parade of dogs from the 8 spot came in over and over again. There was one greyhound, darnit I can't remember his name, that rattled off 40 straight wins or something and became a local sensation -- he'd go off at 1-9 every night but it didn't matter to the big crowds. He was electrifying. A colleague wrote a story for the front page about the dog and his quirky trainer -- and the dogs never made the front page of the big metro. Well, until now I guess.

    The prime rib buffet was outstanding, so was sitting in the grandstands with a beer and sandwich. When poker was first legalized it was $10 max pot limits, so I'd sit down with the bluehairs and basically trade 25-cent chips for a few hours, while women with portable tote machines would come by to take bets so you never had to get up.

    My wife and I adopted a greyhound who ran at Derby Lane, among other places, and he turned out to be a mess mentally so we had to give him up before starting a family. A lot of those dogs are not treated well at all during their racing lives, so I'm good with the sport being slowly phased out. But I still enjoyed the heck out of the track.
     
    playthrough, Dec 26, 2020
    #14
    TigerVols, Jake from State Farm and maumann like this.
  3. maumann

    maumann Well-Known Member

    We have a family friend who swears the reason why the jai alai players pass the ball back and forth before the serve is because the number of player who is supposed to win the point is written on it.

    But like previously said in the thread, SOMEBODY has to win. And yeah, quinielas are the way to bet. Everybody I've ever met who frequents the dogs has a sure-fire "system."
     
    maumann, Dec 26, 2020
    #15
    Jake from State Farm and Huggy like this.
  4. Driftwood

    Driftwood Well-Known Member

    I've spent days at Derby Lane, Palm Beach Kennel Club, and Sanford Kennel Club, enjoying them all.
    I looked into adopting a retired greyhound myself, but as you say, there were too many red flags.
    I loved going to the dog track. The atmosphere is awesome. I hate to see Florida shutting it down, but it is best for the dogs. Once they were no longer useful, it was a one-way trip to an orange grove.
     
    Driftwood, Dec 26, 2020
    #16
    maumann likes this.
  5. HappyCurmudgeon

    HappyCurmudgeon Well-Known Member

    Even though it's cold by Florida standards there were some pretty nice crowds at Derby Lane last night and today for the matinee. A lot of people that lived in the area and never been to the tracks before wanted to check it out. And yeah quinellas are the only way to bet dogs.
     
    HappyCurmudgeon, Dec 27, 2020
    #17
  6. Captain_Kirk

    Captain_Kirk Well-Known Member

    Loved Derby Lane. Our go to beach vacation spot for years has been going to the Clearwater area, and we always made it to a matinee at Derby Lane at some point during the week. Usually watched by the rail, but the last time we went, ahead of the vote I knew would end up shutting down the dog races, I walked up to the very top row of the grandstand and sat there all by myself for a couple races, sipping a cold one and picturing myself amongst a throng of patrons generations ago.
     
    Captain_Kirk, Dec 27, 2020
    #18
    Jake from State Farm, Vombatus and Huggy like this.
  7. Vombatus

    Vombatus Well-Known Member

    @Amy FYI - here’s a thread that might interest you. I would enjoy hearing your opinion on it.
     
    Vombatus, Dec 28, 2020
    #19
  8. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    That's what amazed me about Derby Lane and other dog tracks and jai alai frontons -- all those seats. Crazy to think that you once needed an advance ticket.
     
    playthrough, Dec 28, 2020
    #20
    maumann likes this.
  9. Chef2

    Chef2 Well-Known Member

    One of my top 5 movies. Just watched it again this past weekend.
    "What's with the orange."
    "My doctor says I need vitamins"
    "So, why don't you take vitamins?"
     
    Chef2, Dec 28, 2020
    #21
    maumann and Gutter like this.
  10. Twirling Time

    Twirling Time Well-Known Member

    Whenever I see Derby Lane mentioned I wonder which Football League side play on that ground.
     
    Twirling Time, Dec 29, 2020
    #22
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