When we go away for a weekend, we like to do something. Something different. Something outside, if possible. Something that we will remember for a long time, especially the next time the days are dismally cold, depressingly lonely, or unusually sad. We can recall and relive that day when we____________(fill in the blank), and it was awesome. This was one of those days.
The day started early. We had to leave the house by 6:15 to beat the Los Angeles traffic from Orange County, which can add up to two hours to any standard 40-minute passage from point A to point B. We arrived at Santa Anita Park before 7:00.a.m., and the place was already teeming with activity.
No Horse Races!
So, why did we go if there were no races? Because our goal was to hang out at the CLOCKER’S CORNER. It’s an outside patio area where you can get FREE coffee and watch the horses work out. Parking and admission to the park are free when the horses aren’t racing. Seating is outdoors, children are welcome, and you can buy a hot breakfast (oatmeal, eggs, toast, etc.) from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time Zone. Check the website before you go.
So again, if the horses are not racing, what’s the draw? The draw is that you can go to a freaking beautiful racetrack with gorgeous animals prancing and strutting, running, and snuffling as the people at the Clocker’s Corner swap stories, drink coffee, and smile a whole bunch because they love what they do! There were no roaring crowds, sloshing beers, and crazed wagering–but we’re not into horse racing as much as we are into animals and people doing what they love with other animals and people who feel the same way.
The Day Unfolded in Magic
The November weekday morning was picture postcard perfect. The air was crisp; the San Gabriel Mountains were etched and beautiful, and the sun had just risen to cast long shadows over the horses, the track grooming machines, a smattering of jockeys, and horse race aficionados, and except for the wafting of horse poop and hay–which adds totally to the ambiance–the day smelled both calm and expectant. Everyone knew what they were there for–even and especially the horses. “We’re here to stretch our legs,” they might say. Or “We’re here to look good for our owner. He’s over there having coffee.”
We lucked out. We ran into someone
who owned one of the horses out on the track, and he had time to take us to “the back.” That’s where the work is done.
The show cannot go on without the owner, the breeders, the trainers, the veterinarians, the walkers, the farriers (who care for the horse’s hooves), and the assistants to all those peeps. Dozens of other people clean out stalls, wash down the horses, fill the feed buckets, and fluff the hay in the stalls, along with hundreds of different tasks that must be done to keep the horses healthy and happy. The stables are 24/7/365 kinds of places. Horses don’t get vacations, and their caretakers don’t either!
What We Learned
Horses are like people. Some people compete in sports with grass in their teeth, snow on their goggles, or wind in their hair. And some would just as soon watch their favorite sport from the “grandstands” of their living room sofa. Horses are just as variable. Our friend said you think from the breeding of a horse that they may want to win races, but you never know for sure. People who like to gamble enjoy horse racing because it’s a vast, expensive gamble, for which the sport is called “The Sport of Kings.” It’s very costly. For instance, our friend said that one horse trained for one month can cost $3,200 in Southern California. Or more. Owners will enter their horses into “claiming” races and thus put their horses for sale at $20,000 to $50,000. Sheiks and kings and investors of all kinds “own” horses with the hopes of having them win big “purses” at the bigger races across the U.S. and around the world. The biggest purse? The Saudi Cup is notable for its $20 million purse, which makes it the most lucrative event in horse racing.
Meanwhile, I don’t know what the horses think. In the novel “HORSE“ by Geraldine Brooks, you get the impression that the main character, Lexington, who is fashioned after a real horse, loves to race. Animal rights activists disagree. How do they know? I like to anthropomorphize animals…dogs, horses, cats, ducks. I think they have feelings, likes and dislikes. So I believe that horses like to win.
Takeaway
Go to different places near your home…and be a tourist. We loved walking around the empty grandstand, smelling the dirt track, and listening to the silence. We were super lucky to run into someone who wanted to show us around…show us his world. Because isn’t that what we all want? To share the things we love so others can love them, too?
And we got to get close to this beautiful animal. She seemed to say, “Come up and visit me any time.” I wonder if she will remember us. We will remember her. 🙂