I went to the Pocono Downs at the Mohegan Sun in Pennsylvania. It’s been around since the 1960’s and trotters run around a huge track on the outskirts of the Pocono Mountains.
That night was a special night. The spectators received tee-shirts, horse shoes and even tours around the Paddock.
I never heard of a Paddock plus I’ve never seen a trotter race. Everyone seemed to know what was going on, except for me.
“Give me a trifecta…. an exacto…. a show… a place…etc.” was all I heard.
A group of about 10 people, took a long walk to the Paddock. We were able to see the horses before and after the races. We even had an opportunity to met the jockeys. Lisa, our tour guide, gave us a run down of the history of the Pocono Downs and gave us the inside scoop about what happens with the horses before and after the race. (They only race once a week.)
Lisa introduced us to a jockey, Matt Kakley, who was the youngest at the Pocono Downs. He was 23. He started riding when he was 14. Lisa also explained that she was raised with horses and her parents has a barn. When she’s not touring guests, she washes the horses and takes care of them.
It was so exciting to meet the horse I had bet on during a prior race (even though he lost). Right before the next race, Kakley, greet us and told us what it was like being a jockey. I asked him how often he works out and he told me “NEVER!”
I rolled my eyes. Really?
We stayed in the Paddocks for about 20 minutes and then went back to the stands to place more bets. As we stood there, we decided to bet on the jockey we just met a few moments earlier. And you know what? He won.
We purchased a $12 exacta and won back $8.40. We took our big winnings and walked into the casino to spend it!
