What is your favorite winter racetrack to play?

With spring around the corner, let's take one last moment to focus on winter, and the tracks to which we'll be saying "bye for now!" over the next few weeks.

Get to know the winter tracks, and then tell us — which is your favorite?

Aqueduct

Racing runs in the Empire State all year long, but only during the winter season do horses race within the bounds of New York City, at Aqueduct, in Queens.

From the Cigar Mile (G1) in November to the the Wood Memorial (G2) in April, the meet's highlights give rising three-year-old prospects and older horses alike a chance to shine

Fair Grounds

Mardi Gras isn't the only reason to visit New Orleans in the winter.

Fair Grounds begins its Thoroughbred meet in November and runs it until the Louisiana Derby (G2) in March.

Inside its walls lives a treasury of Louisiana horse racing history. Outside runs an eclectic mix of Louisiana-bred locals and top national barns flying south for the winter.

The Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail in New Orleans deserves note, in particular. The Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) has produced nine Kentucky Oaks winners, all but two in the 21st century, including Rachel Alexandra and Untapable

Oaklawn Park

Many winter tracks are near other tracks that run during other parts of the year. Oaklawn is the prominent exception.

There is no Arkansas racing circuit. There's just Oaklawn, a haven of warmer weather, huge purses, and competitive dirt racing nestled in the Ouachita Mountains. Oaklawn starts a bit later than most of the winter meets, halfway through January, and wraps up with Arkansas Derby (G1) weekend in early April.

But, what it lacks in length it makes up for in both field size and high-caliber racing. This year, the meet has already showcased champions Monomoy Girl and Essential Quality.

And Oaklawn features the most memorable ending of any winter meet — the Trail's End, a 1 3/4-mile starter allowance, featuring a bugle rendition of Auld Lang Syne and the horses facing the crowd to bid everyone a good year.

Turfway Park

Given the weather in Kentucky, it only makes sense that the state's winter track has an all-weather surface.

Turfway switched from dirt to Polytrack in 2005. For this year's winter meet, Turfway installed fresh Tapeta, and handicappers are enjoying the challenge of full fields on the new surface.

The Tapeta isn't the only new thing at Turfway. It also gained a renewed importance on the Road to the Kentucky Derby this year. For the first time, the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes became a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race. The Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) now earns its winner 100 Kentucky Derby points.

Tampa Bay Downs

Though fellow Florida track Gulfstream Park runs most of the year, the winter spotlight splits between there and Tampa Bay, about four and a half hours northwest.

Tampa Bay Downs is known for its immaculately manicured turf course and its deep dirt surface. The eyes of the racing world turn to it for stakes-laden cards built around its Kentucky Derby preps, the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and the Sam F. Davis (G3). However, snowbirds and locals alike make it one of the most lively and friendly aprons in the country any day of the meet

Previous week's poll results

Last week's poll asked who was the most iconic surprise winner in horse racing.  There's nothing like an upset in a poll about upsets — and with a whopping 60% of the vote, 1993 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Arcangues was the runaway winner!

His 133-1 odds make him the biggest upset in Breeders' Cup history, but for him to be named the most iconic upset winner over Upset, Dare and Go, Onion, and Donerail? Surprise!