Last year, Florida voters amended the state constitution to ban greyhound racing after December 31st, 2020. I didn’t vote for it, but I sympathize with the reasons behind it. The sport has been dying for decades, so the end of greyhound racing was just a matter of time anyway. Since it has been an interesting part of the Florida experience for nearly a century, I wanted to check out the races before the ban goes into effect. In many ways, taking a trip to the Debry Lane track on Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg is like going back in time.
The first thing you notice inside the track is how big it is. The largest crowd to ever watch a race at Derby Lane was 12,779 people in 1986. Looking around, I could just imagine all the Don Johnson wannabes in their white linen suits in attendance that day. It was easy to imagine further back in time to men in fedoras and women wearing smart afternoon dresses escaping the Great Depression for a few hours at the track. The crowd on a recent Saturday afternoon was maybe 600, and many of those people were doing nothing but playing poker or staring at TVs simulcasting mainly horse races from around the country. The dog racing was almost an afterthought.
My friends and I were able to snag a spot by the window so we could eat and watch the races in air-conditioned comfort. Judging by the Yankees, Orioles and Wisconsin Badgers apparel on display, many of the other spectators were tourists. Most of the people around us were older and discussing which dogs had the best chance in the next race. A few people sounded like they knew what they were talking about. Most were probably like me and faking it.
The cost to get into the track can’t be beat at $0, but a program will run you $1.25. If you want to have some fun wagering, that small investment is a must. The sheer amount of data they give you for each dog is impressive. Some of my friends decided to bet (or faux bet) based on names and with monikers like Hurricane Woeisha, Al’s Bush Wacker, and Blackjack Erica, it’s hard to blame them. I poured over the stats looking at how dogs finished in their last six races and measurables like age & weight. We probably had similar results with either strategy. I pretty much broke even thanks to a $5.00 Quinella in the tenth race. (Quinella is a new word I learned, so there’s an educational component to visiting the track too!)
If you do make a visit, eating inside is probably the way to go since getting a good seat to see the action shouldn’t be a problem and air conditioning is always nice. The menu is basic. I had a BLT, which was fine. I wouldn’t count on gourmet. But you should take a stroll down trackside for at least one race. It’s a much more thrilling way to watch the action. It also gives you a chance to look around at some of the artistic touches around the track. When the racing closes down, there might be some cool items auctioned off.
One important item that the track could do more to advertise is that with racing coming to an end, thousands of dogs will need to find a good home. I saw and heard a little bit about this around Derby Lane, but hopefully, they think about this more as the end of next year approaches. If you are interested in taking home a new friend, the Greyhound Pets of America is a good organization ready to help out.
If you are morally opposed to greyhound racing, you won’t get any argument from me. The ban is coming soon. However, if you want to experience a piece of Florida history or just have a cheap day out in the Tampa Bay area, Derby Lane is worth a visit. They have matinees at 12:30 four days a week and evening races at 7:30 on three. Check out their website for more info.
