Moonlit Habit, Gary Stevens, Dress Slacks, Good Friends, and Wristband Tans...

Moonlit Habit caught my eye even before I’d ever set eyes on her. Her name jumped out at me on the page in my program. It was almost four o’clock, there was the slightest of breezes, race eight was soon to begin, and the sun was shining in a way that tinted everything with a deep auburn color. It was the kind of day that should have had its very own soundtrack. The kind of day seen on a movie screen accompanied by music, perfect for each and every moment…

Before Saturday I was a virgin when it came to horseracing. Well, almost. Technically, two years ago the L.A. Fair introduced me to the sport, but I was able to experience only forty-five minutes of bliss. I’d been wanting more ever since. Saturday, I got it.

I have yet to bet on a horse race. Surprising I know, as I appear to be quite the little gambler in Vegas. Perhaps the difference is in the thrill of it. In Vegas, the thrill comes from the potential of riches. At the track, the thrill, while I imagine could include the potential for riches, comes, for me, from the competition; not between the jockeys but the animals themselves. It may be corny or cliché but competition really is all about heart; and in that sense, I find it inspirational.

If you’re wondering, yes, I loved the movie Seabiscuit, but no, this blog was not inspired by it, though it does reflect my feelings about the idea. And, I think any day spent in the company of good friends and around true inspiration deserves a special place in my ‘memory library’.

My friend Lisa was there when I experienced my first horse race (it was her first as well) and she was there again for the second round. We had heard KROQ was to be at Santa Anita Park, The Great Race Place, serving microbrews for a mere five dollar entrance fee and figured it’d be a great weekend to get back to the track, bring a few friends, and stay the whole day. After our IDs afforded us our wristbands we discovered KROQ’s microbrews were seven ounces and $2.50 a glass in addition to the five dollar entrance fee. We opted for the Clubhouse and wine.

We spent the day in the sun, drinking, laughing, eating, and cheering. Some of which was spent in the company of Gary Stevens (he’s even shorter in person), the real jockey who played ‘George the Iceman’ in Seabiscuit. The dress code, the company, the horses, and our resulting wristband tans; it was a good day…

None of us bet, though we each ‘won’ a race. Moonlit Habit won race eight and for a moment I thought about what I would have won had I bet. Had I been in Vegas, I would have kicked myself. Strangely enough, I had no regrets about not betting on her. In the end, it wasn’t about winning, but about good friends, good times, and heart.

It was a day I hope to relive again and again…