The Daytripper: Trotting over to Ocean Downs for action

By Paul W. Ross
Special to the Coastal Point

	Coastal Point • PAUL W. ROSS Harness racing horses get their starts behind a moving vehicle.

This time, our day trip is going to be in the evening. We are going to the races at Ocean Downs, near Berlin, Md. Ocean Downs Racetrack is a harness racing track located just to the south and west of Ocean City. See “How Do We Get There?” for detailed directions.

The racing season at Ocean downs starts in early July, and runs through August, with races Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Post time is 7:25, with a typical program of 10 races.

Harness racing is quite different than the “flat track” racing that you are probably accustomed to. For starters, the horses don’t gallop at breakneck speed around the track, but trot or pace (more about that later) over a 1-mile track at speeds close to 30 miles per hour. The horses are fitted with a two-wheeled rig for the driver (not a jockey!) called a sulky. It has bicycle-like wheels and is light enough to just carry the driver.

I said that the horses in harness racing don’t gallop. Depending on the horse (it appears to be an inherited trait), they either trot — legs on the same side don’t move together — or they pace. A pacer moves their legs in tandem, so to speak, the legs on one side moving in unison. The horse doesn’t seem to have any difficulty at all with this clever trick.

A given race will have only trotters or pacers. If a horse changes gait during the race (a “break), the driver has to take him outside and out of the of the other horse’s path; get him back on stride; and must not gain ground on the leader while doing so. This can also get the horse disqualified from the race under some circumstances.

In conventional horse racing, the start is a “standing start” from a gate system at the sound of a bell. Harness racing starts are done quite differently. The starting gate is attached to a modified automobile. The gate car starts about a quarter mile before the actual starting line. The horses pick up their pace and are lined up with the moving gate as the starting line approaches. At the actual race starting point, the gate is swung forward, the car speeds up, and leave the horses to race the customary one-mile course. Since Ocean Downs Racetrack is only a half-mile long, the horses make two trips around the track, with the finish line in front of the grandstand, in the usual manner. This is nice, as you get to see the horses up close at the start, once at mid-race, and once again at the finish. You can go right down to the rail in front for a really spectacular view.

The customary horses racing wagering rules apply in harness racing. A $2 bet is the minimum wager, with win, place and show bets (will the horse come in first, first or second, or first second or third). For the more adventurous, there is the “daily double” wager where you pick the winners of the first and second races. Exacta and Trifecta wagering are also available on a number of the races, where you pick the exact order of the horses for either the first and second place horses, or the order of the first three horses. Good luck! The payoffs are great, but the risk is proportionately greater.

To add to the confusion, races can either be “stakes” races, or “claiming” races, or a combination of the two. In a “stakes” race, the horses are simply racing for a money prize. In a “claiming” race, the horse is potentially for sale for one reason or another, as well as running for a prize. This is a pretty mysterious issue. If you are serious about handicapping horses, you need to learn more about it.

The trip to Ocean Downs racetrack can be easy on the pocket if you win! Really, a visit to Ocean Downs can be a “win-win” issue for everybody! There is no admission fee to the track. The programs for the evening’s races will only set you back $2.50. Pizza, popcorn and the usual selections of drinks are available at the concession stands. The typical race program will run until around 10 p.m., with about 15 minutes between each race, giving you time to get a good look at the horses, and place your bets.

There is also a nice sports bar and restaurant at the track, where you can have a pleasant dinner and watch the races from your table. They have a very extensive menu. Something nice for a special evening? Groups as well as individuals can be accommodated. It is necessary to call ahead for reservations at (410) 641-0600.

Friday nights during the racing season are special at Ocean Downs Racetrack. Friday evenings are “Family Fun Night,” with a chance for children to also be winners. All sorts of special deals on food and the like are part of the Friday night program. There is always plenty of parking at the track. There isn’t a bad seat at the track. Have a great time!

How do you pick a good horse and driver? Check their statistics, and see how they look in their warm-up work, see how they eat grass?. If you really find out how to pick a horse, let me know …

How do we get there?

From Bethany Beach, head south on the Ocean Highway (Route 1) into Ocean City, Maryland. In Ocean City, pick up Route 90 west. Pick up Route 589, which is Race Track Road/Ocean Downs Road. The racetrack is on the left.

If you suspect you might run into heavy traffic around Ocean City on a weekend, go the “back way.” Take Route 26 west from Bethany to Route 113 at Dagsboro. Take Route 113 south to Route 589, and follow the directions above. This is slightly longer, but can be faster.

Driving time is typically about 45 minutes from the Bethany Beach area, depending on traffic.

The Ocean Downs Racetrack can be reached at (410) 641-0600. Their Web page is at www.oceandowns.com.