It was great to get back to my favorite track, Bay Meadows. The same faces were still there and that place truly is like a little family (and I am so happy to be a part of it). It was great to see old friends and I met a few new folks - most memorable was meeting former jockey Willie Slocum who rode at Bay Meadows back in the 40's (as well as other tracks up & down the west coast), his daughter Linda brings him to the track as often as she can (Willie's in an assisted care facility in San Mateo). I also had a chance to catch up with Stella, she worked in the grandstand side concession stand and pours the best beer of anyone I ever met - you get beer all the way to the top of the cup! (Stella says, "people don't pay for foam, they pay for beer."
) Stella was telling me about hooking up with an old friend of hers this summer, Russell Baze's aunt
Stella and Russells aunt worked at Bay Meadows together when they were 16 years old (well over 60 years ago) and Stella showed me a picture of them together in 1943 and then another one they took recently - what an amazing story of friendship!
Well, I'm off to the track again today, I'll be in a clubhouse box and wearing my Derbytrail.com hat - stop by and say "hi" if you're there!