Experiencing Luxury at the Races
A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity
The day had come: in a few moments, I was to leave for the Del Mar Turf Club at the Del Mar Racetrack to attend my first big event as a FINE Magazine intern. Four interns were selected to write for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s 2019 Commemorative Collector’s Edition magazine, which my editor, Al Menconi, took the initiative to put together to celebrate the eighty years that the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has been in operation. To show their appreciation, the DMTC had invited us to spend an afternoon at the Turf Club. Interestingly, I had never met Al or the other two interns attending, Arielle and Korina, in person. I was anxious to make a good impression and learn more about the writing profession from them.
Surrounded by dignified people clad in colorful brand name clothing and ornate hats as we went through the exclusive entrance (*gasp*), it was as though we were entering a more sophisticated Disneyland. However, I was as giddy as my five-year-old self at Disneyland for the first time as we made our way inside. It was then that I saw it. Angels seemed to sing as the gleam of a stack of the glossy magazines that we had spent so much time on nearly hypnotized me. I was snapped out of my trance by the sound of rustling pages as we all snatched up a copy eagerly. Like a kid in a candy store, I could not stop pointing and exclaiming at the interesting variety of articles and photographs included. Seeing my name on the inside cover under “contributors” made my little writer heart leap. I quickly turned to my article and my chest swelled with pride as I realized I was seeing my work published on a larger scale, not just in my college campus’s academic journal.
Next, we were led to Table 102, overlooking the finish line. Our jaws dropped to the white tablecloth when we were informed that the entire fine dining experience would be free. I delighted in our pre-race exchange of life stories as we munched on appetizers. It was inspiring to hear of the journeys of Arielle, a freelance photographer who graduated from Point Loma Nazarene this past May, and Korina, who recently graduated from St. Cloud university and works at a non-profit. As I am a rising senior at Gonzaga University about to enter the real post-grad world, it was a privilege to absorb writing and life advice from Arielle, Korina, and especially Al.
A shiver of anticipation ran through me as Bing Crosby’s classic “When the Turf Meets the Surf” played faintly. The club began to fill with elegant people. I shook my head in disbelief at the realization that I was rubbing shoulders with the movers and shakers of society as a young college student. The crowd seemed to tremble with enthusiastic expectancy as the equally skittish horses were loaded into the starting gate. With a bang, they were off! In a matter of seconds, the wealthy spectators surrounding us went from primly sipping luxurious cocktails to jumping up and shrieking excitedly. As the horses streaked across the finish line, the crowd erupted in either happy yelps or disappointed groans depending on which horse they bet on. As I plopped back into my chair, it dawned on me that I had been so keyed up that I had completely forgotten to place a bet.
We then hurried down to the paddock before the next race. To our surprise, we were greeted at the paddock gates by none other than Mike Ernst, the Chief Financial Officer of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. He swung the gate wide open with a flourish, ushering us inside while flashing a toothy grin (is this what the opening of heaven’s gate would be like?). Standing on the luscious green grass along with well-to-do horse owners and their families, my gaze constantly shifted as I tried to drink in the bright colors of the jockey’s outfits and beautiful flowers adorning the space, knowing full well that I may never have this experience again.
The horses seemed to pick up on the buzz of activity in the air and began to act up, some giddily and some anxiously. Arielle pointed this out as she expertly selected the horse she would bet on next. As their prime athletic muscles tensed, I realized in awe that I had never stood this close to a race horse. Standing on the paddock green with Mike pointing out specific details such as the jockeys being weighed and the small size of racing saddles was surreal. His comments highlighted the complexity and beauty of horse racing.
To our enjoyment, Mike invited us to watch the upcoming race from the winner’s circle. We took a slight detour, and lo and behold, we ended up in the counting room where all the money at the races is held! Machines whirred, spitting out stacks of cash, and the smell of crisp bills filled the air. I had never seen this much currency at once in my life. What happened next was quite possibly the coolest thing I’ve ever done. Mike produced ten hefty stacks of cash, each amounting to $100,000, then handed them to me. I was holding one million dollars! Have you ever seen, let alone touched, that amount of money in cash before?! My small biceps tensed as I struggled to carry it all while posing for what is now my favorite picture.
The fun did not stop there. Mike then led us to the winners’ circle, where a stern security guard immediately lightened up and opened the previously closed gate when Mike flashed his badge. My eyes grew as big as plates, trying to drink in the elite uniqueness of the experience as the horses thundered past us, no more than twenty feet away. Our bird’s eye view of the track from or table was amazing, but feeling the vibration and the tailwind of the horses flashing across the finish line was unlike any other sensation. And can you believe that afterwards we got to stand for a picture with winning jockey Joseph Talamo, who was even shorter than me?
Afterwards, a delectable lunch awaited us. I devoured the entire thing as we watched the rest of the races attentively. As we exited the Turf Club, Al asked me how I felt about the day’s experience. One came to mind: floating. On the ride home, I reflected on what Arielle had jokingly stated when we had climbed the stairs to the Turf Club earlier: “we writers may not get paid much, but the perks sure are nice!”
Top to Bottom:FINE Magazine crew at Table 102, with CFO Mike Ernst in the winners’ circle, holding a million bucks, in the paddock.
All photos courtesy of Kaylee Bosse
