I love race tracks, and I am always surprised to see how much they have changed. Saratoga is a beautiful old track, a wonderful place to watch a race and I am always a bit amazed to see the thousands of people who bring lawn chairs, coolers, sandwiches and snacks and set up on the lawns behind the racetrack. They only move to place bets, they have their own food, and they are not interested in seeing the horses, they don’t even look up as they are led right through the grounds to the paddock.

They watch the races on monitors, and often brings friends and family members. They have a good time, but I am never quite sure why they come all the way to the track. When I made my living placing bets, I remember people coming to the track in ties and jackets, people strolled the quiet grounds between races to watch the horses come through. The race track is livelier now, the crowds come great distances to sit at picnic tables and talk and laugh. It is a fun thing to see, but everything changes, that i the them of our times.