aaaand they're off.....

We went to the track tonight to watch the horses run. Me and hubby, long-time friend and the girl who is stalking long-time... kind of interesting group ourselves. Hubby and I sitting close together, guessing about which horses to bet on. Long-time who actually knows a little about betting on horses trying to teach us and stalker-girl trying at every turn to get closer to long-time. It was a king of formal thrust and perry all night lon

Tonight was my first time ever at such a place. It wasn't what I expected --

I expected crowds of gamboling addicts chomping stogies and placing big bets with trampy women on their arms.... I expected crowds of people who new every little detail of the races and how to bet.... and lots of guys in green eyeshades counting the money.

What I saw was a lot more wholesome...
It was a beautiful night. We sat outside and watched the race, the people and the rituals surrounding the racehorses as the sun set over the valley.

As the announcer called the races, I saw girls in their early twenties wearing white shorts and flip-flops, feet up on the railing nursing the same beer all night and not betting while guys in their early twenties seemed to rotate around them.

The early races were watched by families with kids down by the track watching the horses run and running their own races between post times.

As the terrible band mangled bad 80s music between races I saw lots of couples -- the women in halter-tops, capri pants and low heels, the guys freshly shaved in jeans and white polo shirts.

As the night progressed, I saw older couples who would come for a race or two and then leave -- shouting "come on baby, run baby, run!" and when their horse didn't win, they'd say --'that's ok, we'll pick a winner next time'.

We won one of our many bets -- we bet 2.00 on a horse to show -- and he did... we won $4.20. Overall, it was a loss -- but, a fun way to spend the night.

Maybe next time we go hubby and I won't bet money ---