The lines of black and white in the Daily Racing Form are handicapping tools used to predict how a race will unfold. These numbers and symbols recalling each horse’s past performances paint a picture of a particular racing day gone by. While the newsprint delineates the winners from the also-rans, it is in the spaces between these symbols that our own lives unfold. Our hearts and our minds, if left unattended, can be found lost in these empty spaces, recalling the moments, reliving the friendships, mourning the losses of our racing pasts.

In the nooks and crannies of the Daily Racing Form are the photographs that were never taken; mental images that allow us to recall even the most ordinary moments, with clarity.

Without this framework, our daily drama would be lost, perhaps never to be recalled again. But the name of a great horse, or a track record performance, or even a questionable disqualification, can take us back and let us relive a little bit of personal history.

Did we cash the biggest ticket of our lives that day, or was that our first visit to the track after our son was born? Were we down on our luck until the longshot came home in the last, or was that the day that we started our first horse?

Racing is a deeply personal sport; one that pins us against one another in pari-mutuel wagering, yet ties us together with collective memory. “Where were you the day that Cigar was defeated by Dare and Go in the Pacific Classic?” “Did you attend the Breeders’ Cup at Belmont in the months after 9-11?” “Have you ever heard the crowd roar like the moment Zenyatta made her move to the outside and won the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita?”

As racing fans, one glance at the past performances and we are transported back to another time and place. The familiar lines of the Racing Form are the manifestation of our pasts, revealed in distant memories that are triggered by a name or a date. The endless lines of symbols and numbers may or may not lead us to fortune; but they most certainly will lead us to ourselves.

“Have a fabulous day at the races!”

Carolyn

♫ The gala evening at the Beverly Wilshire began early, with cocktails sponsored by Grey Goose and Kendall Jackson, followed by appetizers served at tables during the presentations.

♫ Jay Hovdey drew our attention to the stage as he narrated a tribute to the late Bobby Frankel in a way that only Jay can do. Laughter and a sense of disbelief at Bobby’s passing filled the room.

♫ Based on the red carpet at the Golden Globes the look for women this year needed to include either a tulip shaped gown, or a loosely kept up-do. I went for the hairstyle, but recycled a dress from a couple of years ago with a one-shoulder style that still seems to be in fashion. Short formal gowns were also popular this year.

♫ Jerry and Ann Moss are such a beautiful couple together, as demonstrated while Zenyatta received the Champion Older Female accolades. The way he kept his arm around her on stage as he addressed the crowd, repeatedly squeezing Ann’s shoulder and keeping her close to him, was such an outward symbol of their true partnership. Lovely!

♫ George Strawbridge, when receiving his Eclipse Award for Champion Female Sprinter “Informed Decision”, paid tribute to jockey Julien Leparoux by noting his ability to get horses to run for him because they want to, not because he forces them to. He followed up by calling Julien “an artist in the saddle”.

♫ Jockey Julien Leparoux, while receiving his Eclipse Award for Champion Jockey, held his mic in his left hand between his middle and ring finger. This struck me as significant because, while engaged in public speaking, it put him in a very familiar place. He was suddenly horseback, with his reins held lightly in his hands, demonstrating the artistry and the light touch that put him in the realm of the elite.

♫ Steve Asmussen showed a very touching side to his personality while receiving the Eclipse Award for trainer. At the podium he handed his second consecutive Eclipse Award trophy to his assistants Scott Blasi and Darren Fleming, for them to keep. He then admitted that he should have done that last year as well, but that he had been chasing an Eclipse for twenty years to equal the accomplishments of his older brother, Cash.

♫ Bob Baffert returned to his entertaining style. While the envelope was being opened to reveal the Champion Trainer the video screens revealed the three candidates, Steve Asmussen, John Shirreffs, and a person with a napkin over his head, which I assumed to be Bob Baffert.

♫ Sean Clancy, while receiving congratulations for his Eclipse Award winning article, paid tribute to his mentor Jay Hovdey, and his hero Bobby Frankel.

♫ Jockey Agent Tony Matos translated for Champion Apprentice Jockey Christian Santiago Reyes, following the rider’s acceptance speech in Spanish. Tony reiterated in English the many thanks that Reyes gave to his jockey school, to his family and, continued Tony, “to me”.

♫ Jonathan Sheppard, while receiving one of two Eclipse Awards on the evening, thanked all of the appropriate people, and then made a special point to thank “the horse, without which none of us would be here”.

♫ While the buffet dinner following the awards was largely lost on the crowd, the dance floor became a popular spot for celebration. Jockey Agent Ronnie Ebanks whirled the women around the dance floor, including yours truly, and Dale Capuano busted a few moves with his family. Local media Eclipse Award winners could be found dancing with their trophies and HRTV producer Chris Speck did a fantastic Travolta impression. It was a great night!