Derby Day at Emerald Downs

This year’s Kentucky Derby will be marked more by the tragedy of Eight Belles than the dominance of Big Brown. But no matter what you think of the race itself, good times were had down at local racetrack Emerald Downs this weekend. What happened to Eight Belles is awful; no one can argue that. For those not aware, the 2nd place horse suffered two broken ankles immediately after the race finished and had to be euthanized on the track. Very sad happenings.

Before the tragedy struck, though, we were having one hell of a good time in the Rainier Restaurant upstairs at Emerald Downs in Auburn, WA, about 20 minutes south of Seattle. We aren't frequent visitors to the track, but we figured this year we'd do it up and reserve a table, get big hats for the women, and place a few bets. We had a table for six with a view of the track, plus our own TV for watching remote racing. $18 bought you an unlimited buffet that was very respectable, and we were at the track for four hours, which means LOTS of good food. Reasonable prices for Bloody Marys and Mint Juleps meant we were betting on plenty of races other than just the Kentucky Derby. Hey, some of us even hit the exacta on the derby, which payed out about $70.

Even if you aren't a big horse racing fan, a trip to the track is a great time. Whether you're standing downstairs, or you're sitting up in the reserved area, it can be a fun place to visit with a group of friends. But you might have some problems if you turn out like a few of the guys we saw by themselves screaming at TVs and swearing at horses.