We spent a day at the races.
Well, ok not a whole day, just a few hours. We didn’t go to bet, though Meghan did bet $3 and is now up by $3. We went to watch the horses.
Our destination was Suffolk Downs. It is an eighty-something year old horse-racing track just outside Boston. Its days are numbered but they’re still holding a few races per year in the meantime.
Our Alpha child loves horses. She’s loved them since the first grade, when she abruptly gave up a love affair with dinosaurs to fall madly in love with horses instead. When I found out about the races, I realized I had an opportunity to make one very happy child.
We bought a program as soon as we arrived and set Alpha loose. She immediately headed over to the paddock, started matching the horses to the program, and figured out pretty much everything on her own. She picked her favorites and apparently has a good eye because, of the two she picked, one was a winner and the other placed at #2.
We stayed for three races before heading back home. The siren song of chores beckoned us home, plus Beta child was in a mood, one that didn’t include horses or racing. There’s another race weekend this year, and I think Alpha and I will attend again.