Good Morning,
Santa Anita is such a gorgeous facility. As you can see, the mountains in the background totally add to the overall environment. When you go to Santa Anita Park in the morning for workouts, they have the ‘CLOCKERS CORNER’ experience available to you at no charge. Just park your car, walk into the grandstand area, and enjoy yourself.
Rosie, who operates the CLOCKERS CORNER CAFE, is a terrific person who will go out of her way to help all of the fans. If you are in the area, going to workouts at Santa Anita is truly a wonderful way to spend your morning.
Additionally, on race day mornings, Clockers Corner is the location where they televise FIRST CALL on HRTV from 8 to 9 Pacific Time. So, you’ll also get to see this program being televised live while you are there.
I must say, though, just looking at those beautiful mountains glistening in the morning sun and watching the horses as they train…is worth the trip!
It is now the time of year in the racing calendar where the horses are ‘moving’ back to their individual home bases from the summer seasons at Del Mar and Saratoga. The vans are arriving at all of the different barns and the horses are carefully loaded on them and sent ‘home’. The tack, the staff, the barn offices…all must be shipped as well. It is quite a job…but it is amazing how ‘in stride’ people take all of this. It is part of racing…and everyone pitches in to make the move go smoothly and to be sure the horses are healthy and happy while all of this is happening.
With my Barn 55 friends, they are en route to Hollywood Park.
The last few days horses have been shipping back to Barn 55 from Del Mar. Several more will leave tomorrow. My John likes to ship a load of 6-8 at a time so they can settle in and get acclimated to their ‘new’ environment before another group of horses arrive. Some of the horses who trained at Santa Anita for the summer will also be transitioned to Hollywood Park. The decision on which location, Santa Anita or Hollywood Park, a horse is housed is based upon their personal needs, personalities, and which environment is better for them overall…to meet their training needs. It is something that is thought out very carefully and in great detail. The horse always comes first.
Throughout my entire racing career, I stayed at BARN 55 at Hollywood Park…except when I would be shipped to Santa Anita (or other race tracks) for a race. I absolutely loved the open spaces there. I had the 2 big grass areas for grazing and I loved my stall..#85. After almost 5 years in that environment, it truly was HOME TO ME!
Have a terrific day!
With Love,
Hugs to all~ (Del Mar…have a great closing day!)
Z
Cynthia H.
@Deirene: You have a lovely name; it is very close to my Mom’s name of Irene. I never thought I would be receiving kudos for techie expertise! Credit our P.L. for her expert assistance!
@judy berube: Thank you, Judy. Hugs, C.
@Margie: So great to hear from you! Thank you very much, and please give my best to Charlene and a big hug (and one to you, as well)! We will be missing her big-time come BC 2012. How fortunate you were to grow-up having such a fantastic panorama right outside your widow! I can see beautiful Mt, WIlson through my dining room, and the entire stretch leading to Sant Anita (paradise) in my handkerchief-sized backyard. It would super to meet at CC with you and Charlene sometime!
@Kimberly Potter: So happy you enjoyed the video. There are even more amazing places at Santa Anita which were not included!
@signofthetimes: Thank you, Kimberly. Believe me, I know how blessed we Southern California fans are to live a stone’s throw from Santa Anita. Come and see us!
@Trina Nagele: Hoof-ray for your clear instructions! Kinscem’s statue is located on the northern perimeter of the Chandelier Room (last time seen; they like to move things around at SA). When we eventually meet, I would be honored to take you to see it.
Cynthia H.
@Kari: cannot ever forget you, my friend. 12th.
Cynthia H.
@Margie: Sorry, Margie. Make that “window.” Not an early morning typist….or afternoon, either.
Terry Crow
Just catching up on the posts. Santa Anita is the crown jewel of California racing. Laura Hillenbrand wrote in Seabiscuit that Santa Anita will stand as long as people care about horse racing. I hope she is right. I wasn’t here when it opened, but I was there a while after it reopened after World War II. @Katie Clawson, future jockey. Always glad to see you post. Horse racing can use all of the young fans it can get. @Delrene-Sierra Madre was the setting used to film one of my favorite all-time films, the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Some interesting trivia about that movie. If anyone cares, I will post it later. @Sue Noel-The Three Lives of Thomasina is one of my favorite Disney films. @Brenda S and Kim S-Glad you enjoyed the joke. @signofthetimes-I think the ship has sailed for BL to be HOY. She would have to race against HDG, and beat her, in the Breeders Cup. No easy task. Anything less would not cut it now. You are right. It has taken me awhile to get over Zenyatta’s “defeat” in the BCC. @Cynthia H-Irene was also my dear mother’s name, she was called Rene. Did not know that there is a statue of Kincsem at SA. They do move stuff around there. Seabiscuit’s statue is a prime example. @Susan in TN-After seeing Chester’s picture, I would want nothing but good things to happen to him. Since he is under your care, I suspect that is what will happen. Rolling around in the dirt, though. He may be a redneck. @Kari Bussell and Susan in TN-You might be a redneck if you have ever fainted after meeting Slim Whitman. You also might be a redneck if you are using a hefty bag as a convertible top. Will post a joke later.
Barbara Wood
@Susan in Tn–thanks for the prayers. I love the Chopper/Chester saga. Helps us forget the fires to the south and east momentarlily.
judy berube
Dear Cynthia H.:
You’re welcome. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear MLV:
It was like the Wild West back then. There is a scene in the “Seabiscuit” movie, which was right around that time period, when Red Pollard has to fight off another jockey who literally is trying to push him off the horse as they’re racing. You’re right, thank God, that would not happen today. With all the things that can go wrong in a race as it is, that’s the last thing should happen. There still are some questionable incidents though, like this year’s Belmont, which appeared to be deliberate interference right out of the starting gate. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Sunny Boyd:
So true. Keep ’em coming. So funny. Hugs, J.B.
PerkyGreen
Hi Baby Girl, I’am still waiting to see photos of that baby bump you’re sporting around.Hope all is well with you. Sure do miss you watching you do that thing you do so well.[WINNING RACES] tis true time is flying but not fast enough for me I’am too anxious I guess.Hope to see new photos soon. LOTS”O”LOVE
Sharyn Priester
So heart warming to hear “The Horses Come First”!!
Robyn Mullhausen
Just beautiful. Maybe someday I’ll get to see it and Hollywood Park. Everything though would pale in comparison to meeting you Z. :)
Vicki B.
@judy berube, @Trina Nagele, @Max, @Linda E Ohio, @Terry Crow – Catching up from #335, you’re all very welcome, glad you enjoyed Kincsem and her cat. I was blown away by her, when I first read about Kincsem, from a link somebody else posted here months ago. And I had no idea there’s her statue in the Chandelier Room at Santa Anita — I will have to hunt it out, next time I get out there (I live near Hollywood Park).
@Cynthia H – Thanks for the vid of S.A., it’s mellow, not hyped-up, which is very nice.
Delrene
@Cynthia H – Thanks re: my name. It’s my Dad’s name (Del) and my Mom’s name ( Irene) together. Last minute as I was supposed to be a “Michael” Whoops a girl and guess Michelle wasn’t in the name-game. My sister’s name was Irene too, and my grandma and an aunt. There are a few of us out there. It is different. I hope to go to Santa Anita a few times this fall meet. I love the area- Lots to catch up on in “world of Z” as computers, etc. down because of blackout.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday.
Take care all.