[Dilbert San Diego]

Pardon my ignorance, not a racing fan. But, we see thousands of people gather at the race track, all for a 2 minute race. Are there a lot of activities going on besides the race? Do people get there, place a bet, watch the race then leave? Are they there for less than an hour including time spent parking, placing a bet, watching the race?

I’m not familiar with all of this. I just don’t get the timing. A baseball or football game lasts three hours or more. A horse race takes 2 minutes.

[al baby]

Yes drinking carousing making business deals cheating on your spouse and kinda stuff

[Andy'smom]

There are races all day long. There are 2 more after the Belmont Stakes.

[ETL]

Pardon my ignorance, not a racing fan. But, we see thousands of people gather at the race track, all for a 2 minute race. Are there a lot of activities going on besides the race?

You get all types for these big horse racing events. Some love the sport. Some want to potentially witness history. Some, particularly celebrities, just want to say, "hey, look at me". Others just want to party, get drunk, and act stupid.

[MD Expat in PA]

The big races that make up the Triple Crown; the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, while those races are the main attraction, they are not the only races on those days at those tracks. For instance at Belmont, the Belmont Stakes race is the final of 11 races at Belmont today. There are also in recent years other entertainments such as concerts before and after the big race. It is pretty much an all day event.

http://www.belmontstakes.com/entertainment.aspx

http://www.belmontstakes.com/eventlineup.aspx

There are also lots of food vendors, I think also beer gardens and wine tastings and all sorts of other vendors. And having grown up in Baltimore, and although I’ve never been to it, the Preakness was not just a one day event but consisted of many events in and around town in the week leading up to the race.

I did enjoy watching the hot air balloons.

http://www.ballooningusa.com/preakness/

[the OlLine Rebel]

This is a problem we fans complain about.

Everyone thinks (and often, broadcasts treat) there are only these races, basically.

Racing is CONSTANT. There are basically at least 9 races carded a day for long periods of time at any given track. Not as much now, because it’s not as popular, but still long stretches of big cards. And there is no other sport that keeps running no matter what.

Only very recently, with PETA-like whiny wimpy people putting pressure (including within the fandom), have we ever had racing cancelled for e.g., snow, or “extreme” heat.

Barring that VERY recent development, horses and jockeys run no matter what. There is no cancellation, no postponement. They are the toughest out there. No wimping out because it’s “too rainy”, or “too hot”, or “too icy”.

And racing is really dirt cheap. Sometimes you pay up to $5 to get in. You don’t have to buy anything else. They’re hoping you bet, but there is no one following you, and the minimum a bet is still $2 (after a century!). Better yet, you can enter tracks midway through the day for FREE! That includes for important races. I once walked into my local track on a rainy day midway through for a Grade 1 sprint with top national-level horses for free. Only on these HUGE days (Derby, Preakness, Belmont, BREEDER’S CUP) would you not be permitted.

Sorry, don’t get me going!