It's been a week since I visited Del Mar Racetrack. This is a facility where high class society mingles with working class daytrippers by the Pacific Ocean. History has been made as I went on that Amtrak train known as the Pacific Surfliner to Del Mar, making me the first in my family to board Amtrak and visit a race course that I could only see via TVG.
My dreams took me to Del Mar.
This was my destiny, in one way or another. I am going to be there or have my own dream deferred by my own ignorance. It was Del MAr or bust. As I got on the train, it took off at 8:30 a.m. PT and thus, my date with destiny began.
"You guys don't like Abney Park?" I asked some mean spirited passengers. "Man, fuck you all!" We passed by power plants, power centers, office buildings, house, more houses, still more houses, you know the call.
I will never eat another piece of Spanish bread again. Sure, it's filling, but there's too much powdered sugar for my own taste.
In all essence, it's just like going down the I-405/I-5, but using trains for a taxi. We passed through Fullerton and Anaheim. I brought the band with me, and I had each of the plushies take a gander of the surroundings. As the train reached Anaheim, Yui gave way to Mio.
If it wasn't for that Steamboy video, I wouldn't have heard of Abney Park, let alone be an Abney Park fan. But that song "Building Steam" is catchy in its own special way. I hear side conversations as a plastic woodie made it way around the upper deck of the car. After Santa Ana, Ritsu took the train all the way to San Juan Capistrano, where Tsumugi took commade. Azusa then took the leg from San Clemente to Oceanside as the train entered San Diego County.
In Texas, they call a surfbord a "tube snake." Mission San Juan Capistrano: a church in need of some swallows.
Los Angeles Union Station ===> Fullerton ===> Anaheim ====> Orange ===> santa Ana ===> Irvine ===> Mission Viejo ===> San Juan Capistrano ===> San Clemente ===> Oceanside ===> Solana Beach.
As Azusa Nakano took over viewing the countryside of the North County, we reached OCeanside. That left Solana remaining. There were some low clouds in the distance. Azusa prayed that they could clear up...or at least not rain. Her prayers would be answered.
"If you miss your Solana Beach stop...it's not our problem," said the conductor, who looks eerily similar to my friend from Anime Expo. Don't be. I spent $20 for clubhouse admission and a seat, while dishing out another $19 for lunch. Wagering will be few and far between.
It took me a while to learn how to use these self-service machines. It's as if, okay, you are relearning how to vote via touchscreen. I am so used to bet slips because that's what my uncle Jesus (pronounced Hay-soos) taught me. He showed me how to pick the right horse, etc. However, today it was about testing the predictions of the handicappers from the Daily Racing Form and the Union-Tribune, San Diego's newspaper.
I made a 3-6 quinella my first-ever wager for the first race. Just like at Los Al years ago, where I got it right the first time, I got it right the first time at Del Mar. I also got an exacta and a quinella in the second before the Union-Tribune began to chalk up ground outs and called strikes in its predictions. They were on an ugly losing streak.
I love that Trevor Denman. He is a god when it comes to calling races. He rocks.
I decided to keep wagering to the end. Get a good idea of what's going on. I almost forgot my binder after wagering in the seventh. On my god, that had my ticket home. I was lucky it was still there. Whew.
That could have ruined my day. Seriously.
I'm seeing the sounds of football mixed in with the races. I don't think I will last in the 10th race because of the train I have to take. I may be leaving this crown jewel of a facility at the conclusion of the ninth.
Eventually I hit gold in the Eddie Read Stakes, the eighth race of the day, with the #3 horse, "The Usual Q.T.", the #2 horse "Victor's Cry" and the #6 horse "Enriched" forming my first successful trifecta. This meant a lot to me because I had never won a successful trifecta until now. I even got back some of the cash that would later be used for groceries and for family matters.
The biggest loss came at the Silks Gift Shop, where I bought a couple of hats, a pin, and a shirt that cost $68. $68! Whoa! I gotta wear that on my next visit. The money I have on hand will go back to checking.
Heaven's rays cast on the Pacific as the sun set I big Del Mar farewell. I learned a few things:
Stick to $1 wages.
Pay admission to the stretch run only.
Eat before you go on your trip.
Enjoy the moment, because you never know if you will experience it again.
Join the Diamond Club for half-off admission.
I calculate that $200 was used on this trip.
I also learned that conventioneers and racegoers don't miox nicely. There were some rather defiant passengers on the train back to Union Station. The boisterious behaviour of these whippersnappers caused the train to delay. it seems like this time, I am not in a mood for hooliganry. The train has to get to fucking SANTA ANA to flush them out. Wonder why the hell it took them that long, the conductors. Fucking softies. Unbelievable. I don't care what you're trying to do, you've got to enforce your rules by all means necessary. At least they did SOMETHING. Goddammit.
Oh yeah, one more thing...if you think you can get away with smoking on a Metro Blue Line train with very few people to see you except your friends, then you are just plain stupid. Being morbidly obese to go with terrible hair highlights doesn't help your cause, either.
No comments:
Post a Comment