The Elsie Naylor Classic at Tampa Bay Downs

On Sunday December 20, 2015 The Elsie Naylor Classic was held at Tampa Bay Downs. It was the first race on a ten race card. It was not any big stakes race, but a $6,250 claiming race at six furlongs over the main track. You are probably asking yourself, why is Big Daddy B doing a blog on this everyday race? Well, over the years my wife and I go to Tampa Bay Downs almost every weekend, even when it is only simulcast racing. We always sit in the Sports Gallery at the Track. We have become good friends with a lot of the other patrons, who are there almost every weekend like us. My wife and I will say to each other, that these people are our extended family.

Elsie Naylor passed away recently at the young age of 95. She was at the track every Saturday and Sunday of live racing, and every Saturday of simulcast racing until a few months before her passing. She was a real trooper, and she would be there from the first race until later in the evening. Elsie along with her daughter, Shirley Quinn, and son-in-law Fred Quinn, have enjoyed their weekends at Tampa Bay Downs for the past 28 years. Elsie, herself, was a patron at Tampa Bay Downs for over 60 years, and was a part of the Sports Gallery Family for over 12 years.

She loved all kinds of gambling, but horse racing was her favorite. She visited many different tracks including Churchill Downs, Monmouth Park, Liberty Bell, and Freehold.

So on Sunday, my wife and I were invited by Shirley Quinn to join them in the winner’s circle for this memorial race. It was a special day for us to help honor this friend. She is sadly missed, and our extended family now has one less member. We know that Elsie is still with us in spirit, and we all hope she will send us a winner now and then.

May all of her picks now be winners,

Big Daddy B