Off to the Races

I’m not a betting gal but it was Micheal’s birthday and we thought it would be fun to hit the track. I made friends with several security guards while wandering around, trying to get an ok to use my camera from a Mr Gutierez. After all the twists and turns, they took a liking to me and offered a press pass without ever meeting the man with the “full pull”. Of course they could have thought we were tourists who traveled too far up Katella, missed Disneyland… and landed at the track innocently. Whatever the reason, that pass allowed us into everything from some fancy restaurant where they supplied jackets…all the way up to the press box. We had a field day roaming around.

I think the combination of the very big grin on my face (and looking like an older version of a Barbie doll among ruffians) caught the attention of a man named Louie. Louie was in charge of making sure the horses got from the warm up pens to the loading gates. After we chatted a while, he took us right onto the field and let me shoot the “take off”. Let me just say, you have to be darn fast. Those animals are quicker than I ever imagined…and so gracefully beautiful. A big thanks to Louie and to all the gamblers who tried to help me with the odds! I did lose 5 bucks on “Misery Love Me” but hey, they say ya gotta pay to play…;)

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