Where the Surf Meets the Turf

I remember when summer consisted of sitting at home all day doing pretty much nothing (except for watching The Price is Right at 10am...that show was like crack...and I'm not really sure why. It's not like at 15 I was really all that interested in how much a can of peas cost. Guess it was Bob's winning personality and the super kitschy games. Try and keep Bob's audience, Drew Carrey. It's just not gonna happen). Anywho, now it seems summer is 100 times busier then the rest of the year. Part of the increased activity is due to the fact I have to work all summer now (which totally blows), but it's also because so many fun things come to town this time of year. Obviously, there is baseball, which I love because it gives me an excuse to sit at home and do nothing (just like the good ol' days!) and doing nothing is pretty much the best thing ever, but in SD, we also have the Del Mar races.

When I was a kid, I loved going to the races. I would always pick the horse with the prettiest color combination, or maybe the one with the funniest name, but my choice definitely had nothing to do with odds or insider tips or whether the horse takes Lasix or not (actually, thinking about Lasix makes me really sad...it's a drug they give horses to stop them bleeding through the nose. Kinda makes me want to never go to the races because it really is kinda cruel to animals, but I'll just think about that tomorrow. Fiddle-dee-dee). My girly way of picking horses actually paid off a few times...my mom's boyfriend even started putting money on my picks and won a bit. As they say, all you need is a hunch.

These days, I do take a look at what the "experts" say about each horse and consider the odds and look a jockey's winning percentages and all that boring stuff. Sometimes I win...more often I lose...but I'm not a big gambler anyway, so I never lose much. There is just something really cool about being at the races. It feels like what I imagine SD felt like in the 40's and 50's. Any minute, I expect Bob Hope or Bing Crosby to pop up and sing a song. People dress a little better, act a little friendlier and seem a little happier when they are at the races. I'm headed there tonight to lose some money and have a drink (or two) and have fun with my friends. There is a horse in the 7th called Red Diadem...sounds like a winner to me.

Update: Because I know you are all dying to know...I left the races with three bucks more than I gambled...of course, I spent $40 bucks on wine and food, but that's neither here nor there...