Off to the Races...

Something we've been wanting to do since moving to L.A.was see a horse race at the famous Santa Anita Race Track. Saturday that day finally came!

We met up with our friends the Salmons for breakfast at the race track. We sat and ate right by the track as the horses ran around and warmed up. After breakfast, we walked around the huge in-field complete with a large park, betting windows, snack bars, a stall where the horse actor of Seabiscuit hangs out, and lots of green grass.

When the races were about to start, we walked out to watch them present the horses. They walk them around and then the jockey's hop on and ride them into the stadium. As you can imagine, the horses are amazing.

Then it was time to place your bets! Wow, you should have see how excited (or angry) people got as the horses got closer and closer to finishing.

Dieter loved watching the horses. He'd see them coming, grin nice and big, and start clapping.

This was the first race. Number 5 was in the lead the entire time and at the very end, 6 came back to win. One lady in the bathroom had placed a blind bet and put $5 on 6 and ended up winning $300!

Dieter and his buddy Trey.

We placed a few $2 bets.

Aaron thought he'd take a chance and go for the one with 1/99 odds.

He came in last. ;)

After a long day at the race track, Dieter was exhausted! We weren't ready to go home, so we were trying to do whatever we could to keep him entertained. That included giving him the entire bag of Doritos that he continued to spill all over himself and then eat off his own chest. There were even chips in his diaper. Man, what a mess.

We will most definitely be going back to the races.

What a fun day.