It was listed on Facebook. On Saturday, March 19, 2022 there was to be a demonstration at Rillito Park race track about abuse of the race horses. 4 horses died the first day of the race season this year and there were many angry people speaking out on local TV. The FB event listing indicated that it would occur at 12:30. I went at noon expecting to see a few early-birds with signs readying for a demonstration. Well, it did not happen. No early birds. No demonstration that I saw.
So I began wandering around Rillito to see what I might have missed when I was there two years ago. That day had turned out to be fun — the last fun day before the hammer of Covid19 slammed down and I went into voluntary solitary confinement in my home for over a year.
The first thing I noticed this year was that there were fewer people, but it was mid-season which may explain it. The next thing was that the Grandstand was in desperate need of paint both inside and out. The next thing I discovered was that Rillito Park is part of the Pima County Park system. (C’mon folks, clean up the park and paint it! Also add ramadas at Agua Caliente Park!)
Climbing up to the cheap seats , I was surprised that there were window tables in the general admission area. I had thought they were only in the Club House.
Racetrack Industry program at U. of Arizona
While I was waiting I heard an announcement that it was U of Arizona day at the races. It turns out that U of A has a racetrack industry program for undergraduates. Some of the interns from that program were working at the track on Sunday, but I don’t believe the lady with magenta hair was one of them.
Then, finally, the trumpet blared the familiar fanfare announcing that the races were about to begin and the horses for the first race paraded in front of us. At that point there were many more people around and a good many of them went downstairs to place bets.
A thrilling photo finish
I followed them down and went out near the fence so I could take a photo of the finish. Well, it was a photo finish, but not my photo. No dramatic image of horses pounding past the finish line from me — sorry. But the finish was shown on a TV downstairs.
What came next is the After-Race–sorta like an After-Party, where everyone relaxes and has a good time at the paddock. The jockeys clustered back in the shade, waiting for the winning jockey who, when he showed up, was drenched — like a winning football coach–with water or something wet in that bucket in front of the orange jacketed jockey.
Then the winning horse! It’s a handsome creature and more elegant that the quarter horses I saw 2 years ago. The fact that the purses have jumped from $20,000 a day to $100,000 a day explains the change in the quality of race horses.
The After-Party was over so I went out to watch the second race. Again, I failed to capture the image of horses crossing the finish line. The winning horse with his jockey and owners are shown at the top of this post.
Entry booth ladies
Now, one more image. It is of the ladies who were at the entry booth where I hung around waiting for the demonstration that did not happen . I told them that I would make them famous if they let me take a picture of them. Unfortunately, shooting photos through glass is not my area of expertise. Nonetheless, here are the two entry booth ladies. Hope you both had a great day!
