Fairmount Park 'Day at the Races'
Tuesday, June 25, 2002

By Amelia Baldree, '02

-check back at the end of July for photos!-

Tuesday, June 25, 2002 was the second annual Kids to the Cup and Fairmount Park "Day at the Races."  This being the second year, there were nearly twice as many attendees.  The group made a total of thirty people, nineteen kids and eleven adults.  The group met at Fairmount Racetrack between 8:30 and 9:00 AM on Tuesday morning.  We gathered around for doughnuts and coffee, introduced ourselves.  Trip organizer Amelia Baldree passed around KTTC hats and shirts, nametags, and issues of Illinois Racing News.  The day almost threatened to begin on a bad start, with a 10-minute scare of rain and lightning which made the group move from their outside tent indoors to the grandstand.  Fortunately, the rain stopped a few minutes later and the group got together to begin their tour.

Kelly Arnold, owner of nearby Gateway Stables, gave the tour this year.  The group first walked into the paddock, built brand new about three years ago, and were given some basics on what went on in the paddock and the usual wages a jockey, trainer and exercise rider earned at Fairmount Park.  They then moved on to the "Stiritz Barn" – the newest barn at the track owned by Ralston-Purina CEO William Stiritz.  Stiritz was not there, but his main trainer was: Jimmy Zoots.  Mr. Zoots talked to all the kids and introduced them to some of the racehorses.  They met Robin D. Hood, a 3-year-old who was probably one of the friendliest racehorses at the track.  They also met Wildcat, an unraced two-year-old that Zoots expected to be a winner.  Zoots explained how a calendar of a horse's schedule worked out, the days a horse was galloped, walked, or rested.  As long as a horse stays healthy it could run almost every two weeks at Fairmount Park.  One of the parents asked what Zoots thought of common drugs such as Lasix and was surprised to learn that in Illinois a horse must bleed first before it is allowed to take the drug.  This causes more hurt for the horse to have to live through the infection one time around before being allowed to take the drug before he or she races.

After the Stiritz barn, the group walked around the backside as Kelly Arnold pointed out various buildings of significance:  a tack shop and trainer's kitchen (a restaurant).  We were then led to the "spit box" – or detention barn.  It's an important building that helps keep racing honest in Illinois.  The winner of each race, as well as two or three randomly picked horses, is tested for drugs in their system via a urine sample and having blood drawn.  After the detention barn it was already 10:00 AM and the group headed back to the grandstand for a snack of a hot dog and soda and to talk about the exciting day that was just beginning.

The group then all received some unexpected goodies: an Illinois Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Foundation "Owning a Registered Thoroughbred" coloring book, a Fairmount Park key chain, some Fairmount free admission cards for later visits and a pack of jockey club trading cards (a special pack of just Fairmount jockeys).

The group reassembled a few minutes later and headed back to the paddock area to see if they could get a few autographs of Fairmount jockeys.  They met Cynthia Herman-Medina, whom they had met last year, as well as Mike James and John Woodley.  The group then took turns going up to the silks room, a special room with over one thousand different types of silks that jockeys wear during a race based on the owner of the horse.

Next the group gathered in the jockey's room to see where jockeys prepare for the races.  They were all amazed at the size of a jockey's saddle (most were used to riding a Western saddle, which is quite a bit larger!).  They also saw the female jockey room, which was painted by Cynthia Medina with various Disney and cartoon characters.  We were told Cynthia is sort of an artist in her free time.

The group then walked to the winner's circle, where the group would reassemble for the fourth race of the day, the Kids to the Cup Trophy Race.  Since this year's group was so large there wasn't enough room in the placing judges room for the entire group.  Tour guide Kelly Arnold led the group to the Black Stallion Café for lunch and took groups of five at a time to the Placing Judges room, camera room, and roof of the grandstand.  The tables were reserved for "Bobby's Kids" – Bobby Pace is Fairmount Park's Racing Secretary and has been Amelia's main contact at the track for planning this day at the races. 

Post time for regular thoroughbred races was at 1:00 PM, but at 12:30 there happened to be an Illinois Quarter Horse Stakes Exhibition.  None of the kids had ever seen a Quarter Horse race, much less been to one.  Illinois-Bred Bunkin Stunkin won this 400 yard race in 20.45 seconds!  The next race on the card was the first thoroughbred race; most of the kids were cheering for Treatwithkidgloves because Cynthia Medina was the jockey, this horse was a double entry with Joy Sparkle who ended up winning, with his stablemate coming in third.  Skysmoke won the second race; Red Serenade won the third race.

The fourth race was perhaps the one thing the group had been looking forward to the most all day long.  It was the Kids To The Cup Trophy Race.  The group couldn't have been happier.  The race announcer read some information about Kids to the Cup over the loud speaker and there was even a page about KTTC in that day's race program!  Diamond Leap won, ridden by John Woodley, who had given the group autographs earlier that day.  Trip organizer Amelia Baldree presented the trophy to trainer Thomas Trione; the whole group posed in the winner's circle for official photos.  Cynthia Medina-ridden Dr. Lucado came in second!

Some of the group began to leave, with various things they still had to do at home.  Before everyone left, simple trivia questions were asked such as, "What breed of horse usually races at Fairmount Park?" – the Thoroughbred.  Two biography books on Santa Anita Park were given out (courtesy of KTTC) as well as some posters of Flute and Monarchos that Amelia had picked up and saved from her trip to the 2002 Kentucky Derby.  Before everyone left they all signed thank-you cards to KTTC and Illinois Racing News for being a big part in the day's excitement.

By the 9^th race, only three groups were left, the Baldree family and two others.  In the 9^th race there was a horse by the name of "Emily L" running, the other two groups had an "Emily Louise" and an "Emily Lanter" so they had to stay and cheer this horse on.  After the day was done, the group all said good-bye.