Gulfstream Park recommendations

[Beginner]

I\'m headed to FL on Saturday for my dad\'s 80th birthday and lucky for me, he wants to go to the races (he has never been to any track). I\'ve never been to Gulfstream, so I was hoping to get a lunch place recommendation (or any other recommendations that wouldn\'t be obvious to someone who has never been to Gulfstream.)  Thanks in advance.

[ajkreider]

The Yard House is right there by the walking ring.  Very good beer selection, and the food is pretty good.

[Wrongly]

My suggestion is just go upstairs and eat at Christine Lee\'s, heck call at head and see if they can seat you at a table over looking the track.  That\'s the way to go.  http://www.christinelees.com/

[Michael D.]

Beginner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I\'m headed to FL on Saturday for my dad\'s 80th
> birthday and lucky for me, he wants to go to the
> races (he has never been to any track). I\'ve never
> been to Gulfstream, so I was hoping to get a lunch
> place recommendation (or any other recommendations
> that wouldn\'t be obvious to someone who has never
> been to Gulfstream.)  Thanks in advance.


here\'s one idea if you don\'t already have seats: get there a bit early and stake out good seats right next to the walking ring (admission and seats are free). then spend the day handicapping, betting, and enjoying the sights. the GP Village is literally feet from the walking ring, and you can find just about any type of food or shopping you desire. just remember to bring something to leave on the seats so you don\'t lose them when you wander off.

[sixmoreouts]

I agree with Wrongly on the merits of Christine Lee\'s being preferable to those of Yard House, especially for a first time track visitor.  At Yard House, unless seated outdoors, you won\'t even feel like you are at a track.  Nowhere to bet inside Yard House. And the TVs inside are more likely to be tuned to college basketball than Gulfstream racing (!)

[P-Dub]

Wrongly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My suggestion is just go upstairs and eat at
> Christine Lee\'s, heck call at head and see if they
> can seat you at a table over looking the track.
> That\'s the way to go.
> http://www.christinelees.com/

Make sure you to tell them you\'re taking your dad for his birthday, and its his first trip to the track.  Can\'t believe they wouldn\'t hook you up with a nice table.

[covelj70]

The Mexican place in the Village right around the corner from the paddock is awesome.

If you decide to do lunch or dinner away from the track and you like Mexican, I highly recommend it.

[shanahan]

Christine Lees or Ten Palms right at the track is good.  Literally at the end of the paddock is Yardhouse.  Many restaurants in the plaza.  Avoid Brio, the service and food has been traded down enormously since they went public.

[richiebee]

80 years old, throwin down burritos and margaritas, catching some racing. Happy
Birthday to your pop and God bless!

Hope thats me in 22 years, my program in one hand, my Metamusical in the
other. Unless, of course, Apophis strikes in 2034 and everyone\'s antique
baseball card collection is rendered worthless.

Side note, Congrats to NC Tony -- a member of your \"team\" finally made it big.
Apparently a big Sinatra fan.

[magicnight]

Richie, re the side note; same team, new hat, eh? Seriously, I wish Francis all the best. But, let\'s face it, the job ain\'t what it used to be. There will be some moments coming along where that other lung would have come in handy.

[wipitoga]

IF you like Chinese food , Christine Lee\'s on the 3rd floor is good but tough to get a seat overlooking the track, especially if only two people.
better to watch the reces is Ten Palms on the 2nd floor. It has a buffet on Saturday with a wide variety of choices, Pasta made in front of you to your specifications, A carvery, among a few, and the food is very good. You should be able to get a table overlooking the track (A tip of the Mait\'re D would do it for sure). They also have outdoor tables overooking the track. These alternate between the owner/trainers boxes and are nice when the weather is good. If you dont want to have a sit down meal, you can buy reserved seats on the Gulfstream website at 10$ per. You can select where you want to sit, I recommend Row A (front row) section 107 A 22-28 or Section 108 A 1-8 area for front row unimpeded view just before the finish. Enjoy

[Beginner]

Thanks so much all.  All great recommendations and exactly what I was looking for.  I really appreciate all the input - it will help me give my dad a great day!  While he is 80, he seems more like 60 and is up for most anything.

And speaking of baseball, my dad was a surgeon whose claim to fame was attending to Mickey Mantle when he broke his ankle in Baltimore back in June of 1963.  His picture with Mantle is on the cover of the Baltimore Sun, but the funny part is the headline (in the same size font) just below \"Mantle Fractures Foot as Yankees Defeat Orioles\"\" is \"Grand Quivera wins First of Delaware Race Series\".  A rider named Jacinto Vasquez was up.  I never really paid much attention to that part - I\'m hoping it\'s a good omen!  Thanks again all.

[TGJB]

Miff will fill you in on Vasquez\'s later career. Definitely had its ups (Ruffian) and downs (scandal).

He was also the guy who once when asked \"when did you know you had it won\" said \"when the overnight came out\".

[miff]

What happened back then with 4 TOP jockeys (3 spanish speaking)\"Papito\" one of them, was so scandelous that it was actually covered up.In short,they were pulling short priced horses in the last race of the day, which back then, was the only race with Trifecta betting,spreading around the remaining runners.

[Caradoc]

Mike,

The name \"Con Errico\" hadn\'t occurred to me in about 30 years until this string, but it was huge news back then.  (Wasn\'t there a Sports Illustrated cover story about the scandal, with Errico quoted at length?)  If I\'m remembering it right, the basic issue was that Eddie Maple had alleged that Vasquez tried to get him to hold his horse in the last race at Saratoga one day, and Maple testified to that to a grand jury.  The NYSRWB suspended Vasquez a year, and Vasquez then spent a small fortune with lawyers trying to fight it, but was not successful.

Interestingly enough, Vasquez nonetheless got in the Hall of Fame.  And Pete Rose is not in the baseball HoF.  Go figure.