I ended up eating at only two places, other than the racetrack,which has good food. The first night I looked in the phone book and picked the Italian restaurant which said it had been chosen as the best Italian in Tucson for a lot of years. Sorry, don't remember the name, but it is on a main drag to the east of I-10. The next morning I ate at the Kettle Restaurant (
www.kettle.com) at 748 West 22nd street, just a few yards west of I-10 (exit 259) and ate there the rest of the time. Good food, good prices, and very nice staff both in the morning and after the races. They have both buffet and menu. This is a small but good chain worth looking for.
Although I didn't eat in any of the Village Inns in Tucson, I would not hesitate to recommend them. Various combinations of my wife and I and race companions have eaten in them in Phoenix, Albuquerque, Tulsa, and Tampa and I have not been disappointed. Ask 1BIGracefan about them. They are still running a special where you get a free $5 gift card if you purchase a $25 gift card. The $5 card expires the end of March 2010, but until then it is getting $5 free. Web site is
www.villageinn.com Their special on Wednesdays is a free slice of pie and their pies are really, really good.
Hope this helps.