Once the fever of the famed Triple Crown cools - Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and Belmont Stakes - passions reignite for the culminating meet in thoroughbred horse racing, the Breeder's Cup. This year it was held at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountain Range, the track, one of California's preeminent, is a gorgeous art deco grandstand built in 1934. The Breeder's Cup is considered the west coast's Kentucky Derby therefore commanding a high fashion experience from celebrities and dirt bags alike. It is such an exhilarating day from the beauty of the horses and the natural surrounding scenery to the excitement of the racing and the energy of the crowd. My dad and brother are rabid horse racing fans so I know something of the sport. It is almost guaranteed that the favorite horse in the race, as evidenced by the odds, changing minute to minute by gamblers betting on their final positions, will not win. Bearing this in mind have a little fun and place your bet on the long shots, which almost always upset. Sure you can pour over the stats and consult with experts and handicappers but they are living creatures after all and anything can happen. Precisely why a day at the races is so much fun!
