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I had the pleasure to visit Betfair Hollywood Park last weekend. I was awed by the people, horses, structure and atmosphere.
I had a chance to go to the Breeders Cup championships at Santa Anita or Hollywood Park and it was not even close which option we would take. The history of the Track of Lakes and Flowers, which I had no idea was its nickname, is a beautiful example of one of the nation's most iconic horse racing venues.
Arriving at the track directly from the airport, we were greeted with the burnt yellow visage in the back which displayed renditions of the most famous silks to grace the track including a special showcase for recent Hollywood Gold Cup winners. There were Charles Howard's, Louis Shapiro's, etc.
Once through the gates, one feels like they are on a desert isle of sorts. Palms trees of all sizes are planted throughout the track's environs. The paddock was large and totally accessible to patrons being surrounded by a low white fence. The horses came out along a long path which wound from the far end to the track to the paddock so the general public had ample time to observe them as they made their way to the paddock stalls. Once saddled they moved into the Garden Paddock, so-called for its rich flora, which easily accommodated 15 horses or more. Often there were 8-10 horses schooling in the paddock in addition to those running in the particular race. My wife and I noted that we had never been to a track which seemed to promote paddock schooling as much as BHP does.
For a first time visitor, the signage was lacking and as a result we ended up venturing through the tunnel to the clubhouse box seats rather than taking the regular entrance up the ramp. The weekday policy allows visitors to occupy any unoccupied seats/boxes they wish during the week. On the weekends, one can get a four seat box for eight dollars.
Our view, not far from the finish line and winner's circle, was perfect. Near us was the TVG crew and a display of past American Oaks winners. Immediately in front there were the 2012 winners on four statuettes with painted on jockey silks for the prominent races including The Vanity, the Charles Whittingham, and the Hollywood Gold Cup. It was sad to think that the 2013 winners would never be shown.
The dark cushion track makes an excellent contrast with the lush greenery surrounding the track even in December. The infield is where you really get the sense of why this is the Track of Lakes and Flowers. There are at least two lakes - one opposite the grandstand and one opposite the clubhouse. Despite many of the resident flamingos being rounded up weeks before to go to their new home, two outliers managed to escape and decorated the clubhouse lake with their brilliant pink. And there is more than meets the eye in the infield. Landaluce and Great Communicator are buried there out near a patch of three tall palm trees and a short one. Unknown is the infield gravesite of the Mexican Man o' War, Gay Dalton. And, of course, Native Diver is buried as well in the Garden Paddock.
The fourth race on the card was our first to see. It was an emotional experience to imagine all the horses that had run at this track during its seventy-five year history.
While there, we sampled good cheeseburgers from The Paddock Grill, a hearty chef salad and generous portion of homemade macaroni and cheese from the first floor Food Court, and pastrami and Swiss cheese sandwiches and drinks from Whittingham's Pub & Deli.
The next day we headed to the track kitchen to take advantage of Steve Haskin's suggestion to enjoy breakfast from the BHP kitchen terrace. Only then did we get a true appreciation for the scale of the BHP plant. Not only is there the track complex, but also a huge seating complex as a part of the adjoining casino.
The food cannot be beat at this track kitchen. The breakfast sandwich is outstanding with ham, cheese, and egg on a thick toast. I had it with some of the best salsa I have ever had. Watch it, though. It has a kick. I also enjoyed the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on an English muffin and I had to try the Zenyatta omelette with spinach. I had salsa on these, as well.
The backstretch seems particularly modern, at least when compared to older tracks like Saratoga and Churchill Downs. The barns are made of fire safe cinder blocks which provide housing above them for the workers. The passageways inside and out are wide. And there is even a smaller half mile exercise track in the far back.
Arriving at the Turf Club entrance on our second day of racing we seemingly took a step back in time to another era seeing the gold horse head doors bidding patrons to the most exclusive seating areas offered at the track. This entrance also boasted being adjacent to a shady stream and garden which offered a respite during the summer months and in the winter provided some eye candy. Nearby is the statue of Swaps with Willie Shoemaker up which stands in front of one of the main entrances on one side, and on the other includes all the past Hollywood Gold Cup winners.
I did happen to walk the various floors from grandstand to clubhouse, one end to the other. While some of the seating areas were closed, as chance would have it a gate was open and so I wandered in. There were old posters, vendor images of food, and a glimpse back at the bygone era when the entire track was still being utilized. It is an incredible structure.
One of the most memorable experiences we had was hearing the roar of the paltry crowd of seven thousand attendees during the Native Diver Stakes. And it was a roar. It seemed like many more were there than attendance indicated. And it made me reflect on just what the stands might sound like with 50,000 there again. Unfortunately, it seems like we will never know.
And then there was the main event - the Hollywood Futurity. Horse racing enthusiasts had dubbed this last field one of the strongest for this race. After observing the horses in the paddock, I ventured down to the top of the stretch to see the horses before they headed to the post. After getting pictures, I moved quickly to the starting gate a 1/16th mile in front of the finish line, and finally finished the race at the finish line. Shared Belief did not disappoint giving a quality performance as has been detailed in other threads.
My wife and I thought the track resembled Gulfstream Park a lot because of its tropical location. Having only visited Gulfstream for the first time recently after they built the new track plant, though, this was an opportunity to step back in time and experience one of the past's true racing cathedrals live and in-person.
I feel for those two flamingoes not wanting to leave Hollywood Park. We did not want to leave either. It seemed that we were just getting to know BHP's charm and majesty and it was time to go.
Farewell BHP and thanks for the memories.
"And Allah took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath upon it, and created the horse.... Thou shall fly without wings, and conquer without any sword. Oh, horse" - old Bedouin saying.
