Parx Racing: A Philadelphia Experience

Racing at Parx Racing near Philadelphia. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
Recently, dreams came true. Racing fans rejoiced at witnessing the seemingly impossible feat of completing the Triple Crown. People will forever recall where they were when American Pharoah roared down the stretch, continuing to increase his margin of victory, creating celebratory cheering well before reaching the finish line. Just before the big day, I visited a race track that has a significant tie to the Triple Crown, Parx Racing.
While the big races capture headlines and attention, it is the everyday tracks that are the foundation of the sport, creating and cementing passion. Being able to get close to the horses and building traditions of time spent with family and friends will guarantee a rooting interest for decades to come. It is with this in mind that I have been exploring less-well-known tracks lately, many of them new to me. Recently I wrote about Indiana Grand, Evangeline Downs and Penn National.
Parx Racing is a sprawling complex with massive parking lots and a separate casino building. The exit my GPS wanted was an “E-ZPass only” so I left the Pennsylvania Turnpike early. Parx was not hard to find even though my GPS thought I needed to go another two miles down the road. The giant horse head makes for a striking entrance.
HORSE SCULPTURE AT PARX'S ENTRANCE

Photo courtesy of Geoff Worden
The facade of the building is less impressive, more like an Off-Track Betting parlor, but it led to an expansive room with lots of TVs, a large bar, a restaurant and plenty of different options for seating. There was a lot of gray hair in the building that day but it was a Monday. I headed right, to the paddock and my first view of the race track.
The nearly 80 degree morning had given way to howling wind, threats of rain and temperatures in the low 60s. The horses were perfectly content but most of the people looked less than comfortable. The paddock is under cover and the nearby ring where “riders up” is heard is adjacent to a tote board that calls to mind a different era. The crowd that day was dwarfed by the magnitude of the surroundings. The view down the stretch is dotted with lots of picnic tables, about two dozen of which have metal umbrellas, slightly rusted with age. A round building, My Juliet Café, is tucked back a bit from the track and offers tables outside. It was, wisely, not open that day.
PARX PADDOCK TOTE BOARD

Photo courtesy of Geoff Worden
Back inside, a bank of TVs located near the Paddock Grill offered live feeds from other tracks. As each race ended at Parx, however, that race became a loop that replaced the other track feeds one by one (donʼt worry, there are plenty of other TVs). This allowed you to watch any race throughout the day all over again.
I opted to get some food and a cold beer (it wasnʼt that chilly outside) at the large circular bar called Trackside. Donʼt expect finish line views from here, just as you should know that the Paddock Grill has no view of the paddock. At Trackside you can see lots of TVs and the place feels a little like Cheers with a different accent. Everyone seemed to know one another and a customer even texted one of the bartenders to get her to put a few bottles on ice for him.
RACING AT PARX

Photo courtesy of Geoff Worden
Despite growing up around Philadelphia, I have never been able to imitate the distinctive local sound. The most telling word is water, which comes out sounding more like weudder (almost wooder). No one said the word “youse” though (as in “What would youse like to drink?” If youʼre confused about that, watch Rocky again).
They have Yuengling (“Americaʼs Oldest Brewery”) and Rolling Rock on tap, as they should. The local brews may not be out of the ordinary but they seem like an exotic craft beer oasis compared to what is offered at lots of other tracks. I opted for the former (a favorite of mine that I wish I could get in Louisiana) and ordered a cheesesteak, which apparently comes from the Paddock Grill. Alcohol and food are rung up separately at the bar. If the food did indeed come from the grill, there was an upcharge (about $2) for service across the large room, but I felt like my $9 cheesesteak and $5 beer were reasonably priced and they were delivered to me.
CHEESESTEAK AND YUENGLING

Photo courtesy of Geoff Worden
The great thing about ordering in the heart of cheesesteak country is that no one can get away with serving a bad one for very long. While I have had better versions, this was absolutely correct, right down to the roll, and delicious. Provolone and onions are a must. I sipped my beer, munched on house-made chips, watched a few more races and headed home. With the exception of a horse getting pinned under the starterʼs gate (he walked off and appeared to be okay) the racing was mostly uneventful, but enjoyable, and I look forward to another visit on a nice sunny day; maybe the outdoor café will be open then.
Overall, Parx reminded me of Hialeah near Miami, though not for its specific design (the two look nothing alike). They share a common faded beauty that means there are tales to tell (you can read about my Hialeah visit here). Parx Racing does not have as long a history, opening in November of 1974, though it has hosted at least two very good horses.
In November 2003, Pennsylvania-bred Smarty Jones won his two debut races at Parx (then known as Philadelphia Park). The horse entered his ninth race undefeated and with a chance for the Triple Crown in 2004. He lost by a length to Birdstone (at 36-1) in the Belmont Stakes.
CALIFORNIA CHROME AT PARX

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Part of this focus on less heralded tracks is to remind people to support them. California Chrome captured the nationʼs attention just last year in a bid for the big three. Not only did Chrome run in the 2014 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, he debuted in 2013 at Hollywood Park and also won the last stakes race held there. Less than a month ago, the venerable race track was demolished. Even if you have little hope of witnessing the beginning of a journey to the Triple Crown, go see some horse racing at your local track. Take the family, children love the experience. If youʼre not there, the track may not be either.