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Prairie Meadows and kids

clonedude

clonedude

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2006
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Can anyone give me some info regarding taking a 13 and 11 year old to watch horse racing at Prairie Meadows?

Some have said you can't take kids because it's a casino, but others have told me you can take kids, but you have to use a separate entrance or something? I need all the info I can get please.

Like how much to get in? Can I still place bets, even though I have my kids with me? All that kind of stuff.

Thanks ahead of time!
 
Rabbuk

Rabbuk

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Mar 1, 2011
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I used to go to the races with my grandfather when I lived in Chicago, but I think they had a policy preventing kids from getting "x" amount of feet from the betting windows.
 
C

CRCyclone55

Member
Aug 17, 2011
64
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Cedar Rapids
clonedude said:
Can anyone give me some info regarding taking a 13 and 11 year old to watch horse racing at Prairie Meadows?

Some have said you can't take kids because it's a casino, but others have told me you can take kids, but you have to use a separate entrance or something? I need all the info I can get please.

Like how much to get in? Can I still place bets, even though I have my kids with me? All that kind of stuff.

Thanks ahead of time!
Click to expand...

Yes you can take kids. For at least 12 years in a row my Mother and Aunt would take myself and my cousins to the buffet which overlooks the tracks before going to Adventureland. I watched a few races there going up.
 
isustud07

isustud07

Member
Sep 3, 2009
68
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West Des Moines
Kids are absolutely allowed in Prairie Meadows. You can enter through the front entrance. Just go straight to the back and out the back doors. Don't go upstairs and you will be fine. It doesn't cost anything to go, unless you decide to valet park (tip). You are allowed to bet as much as you want, the kids just can't.

Have Fun!
 
W

wartknight

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Mar 24, 2006
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We've taken the kids several times and they love the horses. We always go on nice nights and hang out around the paddock. There are betting windows outside. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been inside there.
 
twojman

twojman

Well-Known Member
Jun 1, 2006
7,689
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Clive
wartknight said:
We've taken the kids several times and they love the horses. We always go on nice nights and hang out around the paddock. There are betting windows outside. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been inside there.
Click to expand...

We have taken our young children there a couple of times and they think the horses are just awesome.

DO NOT take kids there for the Kentucky Derby. We did that this year and will never do that again. Too much swearing, drinking, smoking etc...plus there was not a lot of room.

You can make it a pretty cheap night.
 
jbindm

jbindm

Well-Known Member
Dec 2, 2010
13,073
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Des Moines
They do an ostrich race night there once a summer. That's a good family friendly event, but there's also a surprisingly big turnout for it. You might be better off just going on a regular night if you want to avoid a big crowd.
 
J

jamesfnb

Well-Known Member
Apr 9, 2006
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We take our kids and they love the horses. We sit and enjoy the weather, have some drinks and snacks, etc... We let the kids bet $2 on a horse. They look through the book and pick horses out by which one has the coolest name. They get a kick out of the names. I then go inside and place the small bets and we have fun yelling at our horses as they race.

Enjoy!
 
I

isufan

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Feb 23, 2009
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SW Iowa
I went several times when I was younger. I think the main thing is that the kids have to stay outside.
 
clonedude

clonedude

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Apr 16, 2006
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Thanks everyone for the help.

Is it the same way in Dubuque for the dog track too? Kids are ok there too, or not?
 
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