A Day At The Races

I hadn't been to Del Mar Racetrack in at least four years until last week, when a few friends asked if I would go with them. I said yes, and am happy I went. For years I was a constant fixture at Hollywood Park, Santa Anita and Del Mar. We had a large string of horses, and Ron and I were often trackside early in the morning to watch workouts, then later in the day to watch our horses run. It was an experience I felt lucky to have had, but one that is behind me, and I wondered how I would feel going back to the old stomping grounds, seeing old friends and wondering whether I would feel the lure of the racetrack.

I arranged to take our group to the barn before the races started. Our old trainer, Alfredo Marquez, one of the finest horsemen and gentlemen in the business, met us at the gate and took us to see his horses. He has a small group of 5 horses there, but our group got to take pictures, pet them and hear a little about their daily routine. Then we headed to the Veranda Room, where we had lunch, watched the races and enjoyed a birds eye view of the goings on from above the paddock. Our picks for each race were very scientific. We picked by name, silks, or the good looks of the horse or jockey. My years of handicapping did not come into play. I went without a racing form. I was just there for the experience, not the betting. We all put $5 a piece into a kitty and came out with $12 each at the end of the day. I call that a big win. The ladies loved the track, I loved taking them, and towards the end of the day we went to the paddock to see Alfredo's horse, who was racing in the 6th race. While walking back from the paddock I ran into many old friends. It was very nostalgic. The whole day brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me.

I probably won't go back to the race track for quite a while, but the day reminded me of a very different time in my life. It was a great time of life, but it has passed. I am happy with where I am now, but was glad I could share an earlier time of my life with some of my friends. They got a little taste of what my life in the 1990's was all about. Fast paced, exhillarating, and very expensive. I'm happy to have left that behind, and the few real friends we made from those days still remain friends.