I enjoy betting on the horses throughout the year at the casino race books but watching the horses run on a video monitor lacks the excitement of being at the track. My favorite track is in Saratoga Springs, New York. One thing that makes racing so special at Saratoga is that they only race thoroughbred horses for five weeks during the year in the summer. Racing began at Saratoga on July 23rd and will run until September first.

Racing is held daily except for Tuesdays. General admission is $3 and Clubhouse admission is $5. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. Before you head for the track be sure to read you understand how parimutuel wagering works and how to bet the horses. You should also stop by the About.com Horse Racing site for some additional reading.