Party at the Paddock Closes the Del Mar Horse Racing Season

Closing Day is always a bit melancholy at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club "where the turf meets the surf" - final bets are taken, and horses gallop their last regal circles of the season. However, gregarious gambling and brawny beauties weren't the only main events today at the racetrack, where you can still imagine the hoof beats rhythmically punctuating Bing Crosby's captivating croon. You can bet that every fan and fundraising extraordinaire in the stands was anticipating the 9th Annual Party in the Paddock!

During the last race, a well-dressed whirlwind transformed the paddock into a dazzling venue where fans and fundraisers could celebrate together under the luminous Del Mar sky. The party, which benefited Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, began after the last race and lasted well into the night. In grand San Diego fashion, the weather was balmy and dazzling, and lured a colossal turnout!

Whatever guests the free-flowing alcohol did not entice, the Heroes, an energetic show and dance band, did. It seems as though most of the crowd consuming the stands trickled right into the party, and next year, the event will certainly require many more guest tables and several more attendants. I must say though, that the cheery staff did a phenomenal job keeping their senses of humor among the hordes, even when an inebriated senior citizen in a tie-dyed tank top and thigh-high rubber boots insisted on table dancing!

There is undoubtedly room for improvement around the "hors d'oeuvres ," which consisted of reheated egg rolls and bagged tortilla chips…although, at least both managed to mask the mingling odors of stale beer and kettle corn. But aside from that and my stilettos getting hopelessly stuck in the quicksand that is stable soil, it was a fabulous evening. Attention next year's attending ladies: wear flats! Footwear aside though, whether guests were in search of funds or fun last night, I believe they found it.