I've gone to Belmont Park for the big races when I lived in NH. It was only a 4 hr drive but liked going to Saratoga Springs better. Now I'm in Ohio and only watch the races on TV. Big weekend for the Kentucky Derby. You'd like it here. Even though I'm in a city (50,000) there is so much country and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is about 7 miles from me.