Great American Thoroughbred Racetracks

Architectural historian Scott's 300 photos are crisp and clear, depicting not only grandstands and paddocks, but also the barns, training tracks, parking lots, entrance gates and landscape architecture of 12 American racetracks. The author covers these tracks in alphabetical order--the remarkably beautiful Hialeah Park in Florida receives 34 pages of attention, while the less striking Del Mar Club in California merits only eight. Sites included range from Saratoga (N.Y.), which opened in 1864, through Santa Anita (California), 1934 (another obvious favorite of Scott's) and Virginia's Arlington Racecourse, built in 1989 to replace an older facility. In each case, the text covers history, unusual architectural features and assorted local color in this gracefully designed, nostalgic volume. (Jan.)