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In a season of thanksgiving, here's a story that really warms our hearts. Lori McCutcheon has been rescuing animals - including 2000 horses - for 20 years. It all started when she was 14 and convinced her folks into buying a horse that was almost certainly headed to the abettoir. The Philadelphia Inquirer has her story in depth and it's well worth a looksee. Today, she runs the Last Chance Ranch, a 35-acre haven for poorly treated horses, plus goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, dogs and the ocassional iguana. According to the Inquirer piece, a turkey and a guinea hen also reside at the Last Chance, and Lori swears that they are "madly, inspeparably in love."

Wanna see for yourself? Lori welcomes humans to the ranch, too. Tours are available 6 days a week (closed on Sundays) and you even arrange to adopt an animal who just might be your soul mate. Check out Lori's amazing tale online at her brand new website. At the very least, it's a heck of an excuse for a racetrip roadtrip next time you're heading to or from Parx. 

On behalf of all us TrackPackers, thanks to Lori McCutcheon and all her folks at Last Chance Ranch. And thanks to the Philadelphia Inquirer for publishing this great story written by Emilie Lounsberry, with such great pictures by April Saul.

After sleeping in till a comfortable hour, get on I-95 until you see a billboard for something enticing, let’s say: Parx Racetrack.

The trick is to not crash your car when you’re taking a picture of an awesome vanity plate:

Now, if you’re a true PA Racing fan, you’ll know by heart which tracks are running every day of the week. Today’s Wednesday?

• Penn Nat’l? 6PM.
• Pocono Downs? 6:30PM.
• Meadows? 6:55PM.
• Harrah’s Chester? 12:40PM.
• And, of course, Parx at 12:25PM. 

No one at the track gives a damn if your jacket’s covered in dog hair (which mine was). Dress comfortably and warmly. It’s perfect hoodie and boots weather. Chicks can rock boots, too. 

Personally, I enjoy listening to jazz music at full blast while at the track. Makes everything seem like a Woody Allen movie. Although, you do end up looking like this:

Remember: It’s okay if by yourself, as the track is the perfect hangout for people playing hookie. It’s like the 7-11 parking lot behind your old high school, but much more fun and you don't need Kevin's older brother to buy you beer.

If you’re more of the gregarious type, feel free to chat up a jockey when they’re coming off the track. You’d be amazed at how calm and collected they are after being in such a high-adrenaline situation. Here are some pics I snapped of jockeys Eriluis Vaz and Kristina McManigell (who, was rated in the 10 hottest female jockeys by BleacherReport). 

There's always good conversations popping up at the track. I heard a triumphant female trainer proclaim: “When your energy is good and you’re feeling positive, everything will be right.” I turned and said “Amen,” but she didn’t hear me. I said it again, but too much time had passed and I looked like I was just preaching for no reason.

Bet lightly on every race. You're bound to see a great one and get swept up into the energy of it all. We here at TrackPackPA wish you the best of luck, and hope you spend all your sick days with us. We'll leave you with a video of me practicing my "Yips!" 

Breeders' Cup action starts at 4PM on Friday, so duck out of work during you're lunch break and join in on our live-tweeting of all the action! 

Saturday’s $750,000 Cotillion at Parx will highlight some of the sports greatest features: high stakes, high tension, and big money.

• It’s Tricky is a 5 time Winner in 7 Starts.
• Plum Pretty is a 3 time winner in 8 starts.

Saturday’s race will mark the third time this year the two have faced off.

It’s Tricky has the best Morning Line odds with 7-5, and yet, many have cited Plum Pretty as the horse to beat. The last time the two met was in the Alabama-G1, where neither horse took home first- but It’s Tricky finished ahead in second place to Plum’s forth. Both horses are eyeing the 3-year-old filly division championship for the end of the year. Losing this race could kiss that chance goodbye.

What we've got here, folks- is a rivalry. It's a showdown. It's a title shot. It's going to be awesome. 

Rest of the lineup:

Post, Horse, Jockey, Morning Line Odds:
          1.  Daring Reality, O. Castillo, 20-1
          2.  Halo Dolly, R. Baze, 8-1
          3.  Plum Pretty, R. Bejarano, 2-1
          4.  It's Tricky, E. Castro, 7-5
          5.  Love and Pride, J. Bravo, 5-1
          6.  Buster's Ready, D. Cohen, 4-1

On Saturday, a horse with a vibrant white stripe on her nose will run in the ninth race at Parx. She will most likely have favorable odds, as her record currently stands at five wins and a second-place finish. She is Ann’s Smart Dancer.

In 2006, Handicapper Craig Donnelly went to a claims race after receiving the life-shattering news that his wife Ann was diagnosed with cancer. He purchased a horse, which was soon carried off the track with a fractured ankle. Most people would have taken this as an omen and quit. But, Donnelly decided to breed the horse. It was soon after that his wife Ann passed on.

Depressed, and with nothing to show from his horse- Donnelly persisted. With the help of his father, famed handicapper Russ Harris, as well as his son, Donnelly kept breeding his now lame horse, and eventually foaled a filly. Donnelly’s father had one name for the horse: Ann’s Smart Dancer.

Watching the horse in its first race was excruciating for Donnelly. But she won. And she kept winning. With $216,480 in winnings, it’s safe to say Donnelly got a return on his investment. Although, it’s about more than the money. The legacy and memory of his wife is preserved in the horse. Donnelly is happy again. He frequently visits his favorite horse at Walnut Green farms in West Grove, PA.

Ann’s Smart Dancer is slated to race in the ninth race Saturday, October 1st at Parx. The night’s main card will be the $750,000 G2 Cotillion Stakes.
 

Saturday’s million-dollar Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing will surely be a race not to miss, nor will we. This marks only the second time in the history of the race that a Triple Crown winner will be making an appearance. Yes, Belmont-victor and mudslinger Ruler on Ice (pictured) will be partaking in Saturday’s showdown- and his chances look promising.

Also making an appearance is Kentucky Derby champion John Velazquez, riding Rattlesnake Bridge.

The complete field for Saturday is as follows (Horse, Jockey, Morning Line Stats):

1. Ruler on Ice, Garret Comez, 5-2
2. Arthur’s Tale, Alan Garcia, 12-1
3. Pender Harbour, Luis Contrera, 12-1
4. Norman Asbjornson, Pimentel, 12-1
5. Rush Now, Cornelio Velasquez, 9-2
6. Isn’t He Perfect, TBA, 20-1
7. To Honor and Serve, Jose Lezcano, 3-1
8. J W Blue, Cornelio Velasques, 8-1
9. Rattlesnake Bridge, John Velazquez, 4-1

Rush Now and J W Blue have both been entered by trainer Tony Dutrow, who has said it is unlikely that both horses will run. This explains Cornelio Velasquez’s place on both horses. We were hoping for something much cooler, but oh well.

The Pennsylvania Derby will be the 11th race in a 12 card race slated for Saturday, September 24th, at Parx Racing! First post is at 12:05pm.

Stay tuned with us as we keep you updated on all the stats, entries, and excitement for the Pennsylvania Derby!

The first few times my friends and I hit the track, we had no idea what we were doing. We bet on horses that had cool names or jockeys we thought were cute (or vice versa, when we were particularly lucky), but we never actually followed a professional scientific formula. It was sheer chaos. Heck of a lot of fun, but still, chaos.

Then one of my good TrackPackPA friends pointed me to a nifty little article on HelloRaceFans offering up five tips to make the most of your day at the track. I, being the adventurous and more-than-willing guinea-pig that I am,  was eager to try out my newfound knowledge. So we headed back to Parx Racing and here's what came of it.

1.

The first line of advice was to attend a handicapping seminar. These are usually early morning classes that teach wide-eyed newbies how bets should be properly placed, appropriate track conduct, the vernacular of the track tout, et cetera. Tuns out Parx has just such an acedemic offering, known as twice-monthly handicap seminars. (And when it came to understanding the wagering process, this reporter could admit to a severe handicap!)

The weekend of my most recent track adventure, alas, was not a weekend with a seminar. So if you're eager for a little wagering wisdom before you head for Parx, check out their schedules beforehand.  But for me, HelloRaceFans' tip number one is out the window. Looks like we'll wing it a bit more.

2.

Next, HRF suggesets every newbie purchase a track program. My first few times at the track I didn’t bother with a program because I had no idea how to read it. (Illiterate people don't go to libraries, do they?) It was like a Chinese phonebook. Or an English phonebook, for that matter (the Internet rules!). But the rule I try to follow is, when at the track, do what the tracksters do, so a program is pretty much mandatory. Turns out we can scrutinize much of the program without understanding all the hyroglyphics. It's pretty much a blueprint of what to expect at the races that day. Somebody way smarter than us who gets paid good money outlines each race and writes up all sorts of info on all of the horses that will be running, including the probable odds, their owners, and trainers, and exactly how each horse has fared in each race it's already run. You can see how each jockey's been doing, whether the trainer is long-time winner or a greenhorn like us. So do like we did: Grab a pint of draft lager, chew on a pencil (we saw one of the track regulars do that a lot) and bone up on the program. It makes for passable reading, and after about 20 minutes of cramming and spitting out little wooden flecks of pencil, I had a pretty, pretty good idea who I was leaning towards for the upcoming races. 

3.

Step number three: visit the paddock before each race and watch the pre-saddling of the horses. This takes place about 20 minutes prior to post time and allows you to get up close and personal with the racers. (Some old-timers say to check out which horse is looking cocky, which one's nervous, and to peel your eyes for a horse that's pooping in the paddock. He'll be that much lighter in the race!) While I was scrutinizing the next race's roster of beautiful horses, I ran into Shane Learn, an assistant trainer at Parx who had helped me out before. He told me, from a professional perspective, some of the characteristics that might really help identify a promising horse:

“Basically, you want to see if the horse is alert and attentive,” Learn said. “Look for horses with their heads up, their ears forward, and their tails raised, which is usually a good energy gage. Also make sure that their coat is not too hot or sweaty. This is a sign of nervousness.” 

Interestingly, Sean had no commentary one way or another on the poop theory.

4.

And then we come to the "Duh" moment. Perhaps the most productive tip on the list is also the most obvious: bet on the races. When learning any new fun skill, the number one piece of advice is Nike-esque: Just do it. Learn from your mistakes and your victories. Bet small, bet often. Dive in. And keep smiling. Which is exactly the formula I'm following.

5.

The final piece of advice I followed was about the easiest: pick a good seat and watch. I had a handful of tickets and a found myself a clear overview of the track (close enough to the beer taps, too), allowing me to watch the horses load for each race and thunder across the finish line. A good seat allows you to view the race in it’s entirety, and should be resilient  enough to handle the fact that you're gonna be jumping up out of it whenever you're cheering and screaming your fool head off. (Which is about most of the time for me.) 

These handy little tips definitely helped me to get a better appreciation of betting and just generally enjoy the racetrack experience a whole lot more. "Knowledge is Power." Why didn't I listen to that in school? I could've been making money.

Stephanie Weaver is the TrackPackPA field correspondent. She get's down and dirty to find the real story. She's like April from the Ninja Turtles. 
Also, a big 'Thank You' to the folks at Hello Race Fans! for providing us with tips! 

Back in June, I went to jolly old England for two weeks to visit a good friend. While waiting for a train at the grand Victoria Station, I saw many Londoners dressed to the nines in exquisite suits, flowing dresses and large, colorful hats. They looked like they had just left the royal wedding. When I asked my friend, Karl, about their outfits, he told me matter-of-factly that it was clear they were returning from the racetracks. In England, going to the track is just another excuse to get dolled up.

Last week, Karl came to Philadelphia, so like any good friend, I took him down to the track in Chester for his first ever experience with harness racing. (Americans are far more casual, so we left the silk suits back in the closet.) When we got to Harrah's, and walked out onto the grandstand, with the amazing view of the racing oval, and the rolling Delaware River directly behind it, his eyes immediately lit up like a kid's in a candy store.

 


“In the UK, the racetrack is just a track. Here, the emphasis is on the fun,” said Karl. “It feels more like a sports bar with a track connected to it than just a simple racetrack.”

I had explained to him about the concept of harness racing, and he looked completely baffled. In England, there are horse races that involve the animals jumping over either hurdles or fences. This is called National Hunt racing, and is similar to American steeplechases. Karl knew about National Hunt racing, but didn’t know anything about harness racing.

 Karl, Carey, Holly enjoying the scene 

With program in hand, I explained how the odds system worked over here and Karl decided to bet on two horses in two different races. He wasn’t familiar with the touch screen betting system, so he asked one of the seasoned paramutuel clerks for help. (Who needs touch-screen when there are really good humans there?) After our bets were placed, we took a seat down front and close to the rail. The first post time was upon us, and the horses were already lined up and trotting behind the moving starting gate. Once the gate lifted, the horses took off. Karl had bet on the number two horse to show. That's a pretty easy first bet, and it means if the horse finishes either first, second or third, he wins some money.

Old Number Two kept a steady pace during the first three quarters of the race. And as he started to pick things up near the finish, Karl and I started feeling that unique goosebump excitement of a roarin' final stretch.


“Go baby, go! Dig in!” He suavely yelled in his proper British accent.

Number Two finished a strong second and Karl was grinning from ear to ear. “I have never seen harness racing before,” smiled Karl. “Nor a rolling start. The American tracks seem a lot more relaxed than the British ones. Over here, they just want people to have a good time.”

In the second race, Karl bet on the number seven horse, and predicted he'd finish second. (That's called a "place" bet, and you win if your horse comes in first or second.) Number Seven was a beautiful large bay named Unabating and he was wearing the cutest pink silks. (Karl didn't seem as impressed with the silks as was I.)


Yes, another exhilarating race, and when Unabating rolled across the finish line first, Karl had doubled his earnings. That was high-note enough for us, and we decided the appropriate thing to do with Karl's winnings was to invest most of them at the great sports bar overlooking the track.

“I learned a lot today,” said Karl, between sips of his winning lager. “And I also like how laid back American horseracing is. Look at me in my jeans and t-shirt!”

Stephanie Weaver is one of our loyal and intrepid TrackPackPA field correspondents. Peel your eye for her at Harrah’s Chester or Parx racetracks, as she's well known to frequent both in her never-ending quest to learn more about life at the track. She’s usually armed (with a drink) and dangerously funny. (And fellas, she's easy on the eye, too.)

Upon preparing a racetrip for Parx Racetrack, we discovered something interesting... Philadelphia has an underground horse scene! Sorry, it’s not horses with mohawks and crappy garage bands- but instead it's a full on community with tons of activities for horse lovers! In fact, there's no laws against parking your horse in the city! Who said you can't have your cake and eat it too?! Now if I can just figure out how to start a horse-only garage band…

Fairmount Park (pictured below) features a plethora of horse-friendly trails and sections. Wissahickon Valley Park alone has 57 miles of lush trails to explore (not to mention the now infamous ‘Devil’s Pool’). There are several stables and boarding centers located within the general area.

Monastery Stables
Deep within Wissahickon Valley’s vast network of trails, hidden much like a reverse-mirage, one can find the historic Monastery Stables. With six serene acres of lush foilage, you’ll feel much farther than only 10 miles away from Center City. The 1747-built Monastery features 22 stalls and spacious mowed fields are perfect for relaxing and grazing (human and horse alike). For lessons or just visiting in general, calling ahead is advised.

Philadelphia Saddle Club
Calling Monastery Stables home, the Philly Saddle Club have 1,800-acres of terrain at their disposal. An experienced rider is preferred, as it’s a group-effort to care and stable the horses. Interesting fact: club members range from 32 to 90 years of age. You can never be too old to make new friends!

Chamounix Equestrian Center
From spring to fall, horseback riding lessons are available at the Chamounix Equestrian Center in beautiful West Fairmount Park. The center also hosts the Work to Ride program, which provides low-income youth an opportunity to ride, care for, and play with the horses! Some even join the polo team!

Pennypack Park
Known as the cousin to the Wissahickon, Pennypack’s expansive 1,395 acres are a welcomed refuge to the city’s outdoorsy types! By bike, blade, foot or hoof- get out there and traverse the paved and unpaved trails! Keep your eyes peeled for Fox Chase Farm, one of the only fully-functioning city farms remaining!

If riding's not your style, or if your just looking for something at a faster pace, head to to the one and only Parx Racetrack for world-class thoroughbred racing. They've got plenty of special events, entertainment and restaurants and are located just minutes away from the city! 

PS: If you still think this is a bunch of cowpies and I'm pulling your leg- check out this segment on the venerable This American Life:

[After two successful trips to Parx as a fan, Stephanie Weaver has made her way 'round backside to see what it's like as a participant in the wonderful world of horse racing.]

I don’t think I’ve been up and out of bed before 8 a.m. on a Saturday since I was seven-years-old... and still thought babies came from a magical field in North Dakota. Yet, here I was, ankle deep in mud and surrounded by feisty horses and men who came up to my navel at 7:30 on a Saturday morning.

Shane Learn (pictured), an assistant trainer who I had met the previous week, had invited me back to Parx Casino and Racetrack for a behind-the-scenes experience.
“Our day usually starts at about 4:30 a.m.,” said Shane. “We train in the morning because all of the racing happens in the afternoon. Plus, horses don’t like hot weather and do better in the early morning when it’s still cool.”

After parking my car and signing in at the security desk, I followed Shane down to the stables. There are 36 barns on the Parx Casino property, each holding about 44 horses. That’s a lot of hungry mouths to feed in the morning and a lot of legs to potentially be kicked by.

As we entered the barn, Shane beckoned for me to stay to my inside. If for some reason they have the urge to kick, race horses are taught to kick to the outside, so for safety purposes, we had to stay close to the stalls. Even though most of the world was still asleep, the action at Parx was in full swing. Grooms walked horses that were fresh off the track to the bathing area, their broad backs steaming in the summer sun.

“My typical morning starts off with checking the training chart to see who is training and at what time,” Shane explained. “We then ride and take lunch around 10 a.m. because our day starts earlier than others. From 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. I have solid, non-stop work, but nothing too strenuous.” As Shane got ready to exercise his first horse of the morning, a bay colt named Sortano who has won two races at Parx, I headed down to the track. It was a surreal experience being the only one down there. The only thing I could hear was the steady, clip-clop clip-clop of hooves on concrete ringing through the early morning fog.

Within five minutes, however, the track was packed with action. Horse after horse was walked to the starting gate, released, and galloped down the back stretch, sometimes even two at a time. I saw Shane ride Sortano at a lazy lope down the track. The horse was obviously elated to be out of his stall and moving. His thick nostrils were fully dilated and he had his ebony tail raised like a victory flag.

Out of nowhere, a commotion started down on the other side of the track. I quickly looked up and saw red lights flashing and a man lying on his back in the middle of the track. Further down, I noticed a frenzied horse bolting out the exit and making a sharp turn toward the stables. “This happens every so often,” the man standing next to be commented.

“A jockey will fall and the horse will take off back to its stall. It knows where it lives and wants more breakfast. But we turn those red lights on around the track as a precaution.”

Sure enough, both horse and rider were fine. The loose horse, a spirited colt, had found his way back to the barn on his own accord. After he was done racing, Shane met me back at the sideline. He had another horse training that morning and wanted to get a time on him. “I’m breezing him five furlongs today,” Shane said, “And “I’m hoping he does it in one minute two seconds.”

Out of nowhere a grey blur whizzed by us. Shane looked down at his watch and then back up at the horse. Several seconds later, he turned to me and grinned, showing me the final time. “One minute three seconds. Not what I had hoped for, but close enough.” We made our way back to the barn. The sun had finally taken its place in the sky and the heat was setting in.

“After we run the horses, we hose them down,” Shane said. “After they’ve cooled and caught their breath, we bathe them. We do the same with our horses in training as athletes in training do. They drink about 10 to 12 gallons of water a day. We get the horses all out of sales and try to find the best pedigree for the best price. They can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2 million.”

Shane and I shook hands and I headed to my car. As I was pulling away from the track, I couldn’t help but feel privileged that I had gotten this experience. I was also looking forward to going back to bed until 5pm.

Our brave field correspondent Stephanie Weaver has returned to the racetrack- this time with some friends. Pictured above is Kristina; friend and co-founder of "Fancy Hat Day at the Races." 

The more friends that find out I’ve been going to the track, the more seem to want to come. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been receiving more calls, texts, and tweets from individuals who I rarely talk to, as they try to remind me about “That one drink we had at that one bar three years ago” and “What great friends we are even though I’ve only met you once and can I pleeeeeeasssseeee go bet on horses with you?”

Carey is all smiles at the Paddock!

This past weekend, I rounded up a small group of my pals and headed down to Parx Casino and Racetrack. They were all pretty excited about the day waiting ahead of us, and expectations were high as we cruised up I-95 listening to Bruce Springsteen (somehow, it only seemed appropriate that we do so).

As soon as we got there, we were pulled aside by a group of some older gentleman who seemed to notice the lost looks on our faces. One of the men in the group was 75-year-old Geo, who has been coming to the track regularly since 1953. He explained to me what win, place and show meant and how he never told anybody about his last name.
“The track is a nice place to come for families. Husbands and wives come with their kids,” said Geo. “It’s amazing how that happened because it wasn’t like this a few years ago. I think it has to do with the economy. A lot of people want to go on vacation, but can’t afford it. The track is a nice substitute and gives you something different to do.”

Geo’s friend “Barefoot” Bob also gave us first-timers some advice on how to bet properly. “Don’t come here and lose all of your money,” he said. “You work too hard for it. If it’s your first time, go to the paddocks and watch the horses. Walk around, inquire about the odds, and have fun.”

“It’s a great day out spent with friends,” continued Geo. “You and your girlfriends can sit outside at a table under an umbrella and get something to eat and drink and learn how to bet on horses.”

“We really need to wear fancy hats and drink mint juleps,” my friend Kristina said. I readily agreed and a “Fancy Hat Day at the Races” was shortly planned thereafter. We ventured to the paddocks where we saw the horses either resting or getting ready for their next race. Kristina saw a jockey she thought looked cute and we decided to put $3 on that horse. My other friend, Mason, decided to put $5 on the number five horse.

 Mason is a better man, fore he is a bettor's man. 

Kristina’s and my horse, the number three, had on pink and blue silks and was moving at a steady speed throughout the entire race. We watched them round the far corner and approach the final stretch. In the end, however, Mason’s horse took third and ours came in last.

We headed back in and took a seat at the bar. My friend Carey and I talked about to the track coming every weekend for the rest of our lives. Carey’s mom was in town the following week, and she even suggested bringing her.

As we left the track, we were already making plans to come back the following weekend. “I bet on a nervous horse,” said Carey, “And it came in dead last, but I’d totally bet on it again. The track is awesome. You get booze, sun and to hang out with people you probably wouldn’t ever hang out with.”

As Kristina told me her philosophy about betting, and couldn’t help giggling a little bit.

“If you don’t know anything about betting,” she said, “Bet on how cute the jockey is or how bright the colors look. Bet on anything neon.”