Big Hats, Black Eyed Susan's, and Betting

I can officially mark another thing off my list. Charlie and I, along with over 100,000 other people, attended the middle jewel of the triple crown-Preakness. We have all viewed the "Pomp and Circumstance" that surrounds The Derby, Preakness, and Belmont as the TV portrays it. Ladies with fancy hats, flowers neatly woven and placed on the winning horse, and owners and their families celebrating after a win. I finally had my chance to see this in person. But I would get to see so much more...

Charlie and I took public transportation to the race to avoid a parking nightmare. We rode the Light Rail and then caught a shuttle bus to the track. There were a few other ladies in their sundresses and hats, but the majority of the people on the bus were college students heading for the infield. I had been warned about the infield from people at work but nothing would fully prepare me. From the loud conversations and the beer bong being passed from the front to the back of the bus, it was obvious that they had all been drinking for a while. The girl in front of us was slightly lit, and looked at us and asked, "Are you going to Preakness? I really need to pee!" We would all soon realized just how bad she had to pee. As we exited the bus and shuffled along with the crowd, we saw that same girl barely squatting behind the bus stop. Should I mention that the bus stop shield is clear and she might as well have been standing out in the middle of the road. Big mistake on her part. Two cops watched this unfold and I am sure that she now has a pretty hefty ticket in her hand or she enjoyed a view from a jail cell. This would be the prelude for what was to come.

The Pimlico race track is pretty much surrounded by projects and the local people were opportunist and knew how to make a buck. You could pay $50 dollars to park in their "secure locations" or pay one of the many young boys or girls with shopping carts to push your coolers, chairs, and cases of beer to the infield entrance as it was quite a walk from there to where the shuttle buses dropped us off. Loud drunk people, traffic, and then PETA protesting the race...it was crazy. We unfortunately had to enter with the infield crowd to make it to our seats at the "top of the stretch". As we exited the tunnel into the infield I was shocked. Drunk, college students everywhere. Idiots running across the tops of the portolettes while being pelted with beers cans. People passing out and stumbling as they walked. My nerves where on edge until we reached our nice secluded section. I had a "black eyed susan", the official drink of preakness. We sat back and took it all in. We had a great view of the race track and I learned a lot about how to make a bet from the people around us. They take this betting seriously. One guy had print outs of stats while another group was discussing their strategy. I will have to admit, it made the races a lot more fun when you had some money riding on it. Charlie and I were not excessive with our betting, which is good since we did not win. Probably more fun than anything was watching the emergency crews drive in front of our stands with the numersous drunk people as everyone sang "na na na, na na na, hey hey, good bye". The weather was beautiful and possibly we were a part of history, provided Big Brown wins Belmont. It was a lot a fun and I am so glad I finally got to wear my big hat to a race. But just like that time I went to Talladega...I have done it once and I am now completely satisfied that I don't have to do it again. Go Big Brown!!!!