Monday, April 5, 2010

Derby Day L.A. Style Starts with a 5K Race

Start of the Santa Anita Derby Day 5K.

Derby Day at Santa Anita starts with a bang -- a bang from the starting gun, that is, for one of the area's most popular 5K footraces, which drew nearly 5,000 runners and walkers this year. I participated in the event as part of "Team TOC," which included my colleagues Ali LaDuke and Lucinda Mandella. As an entry, we were given morning line odds of 7-1. We made a pretty good showing in the "Santa Anita Employee Division," and I even managed to snap a few photos along the way.

"Team TOC" - Forney, LaDuke and Mandella.

California Horse Racing Board steward Scott Chaney won the men’s employee division and Zoe Cadman of HRTV took the women’s employee division.

It was a cool, clear morning - perfect running weather for the race that wound through the lovely grounds of the Los Angeles County Arboretum (across the street from Santa Anita), into the track's infield, and finished up with a grueling stretch drive on the training track.


The last quarter mile on the training track... so this is how the horses feel.


Finish Line.

It felt great to reach the finish line, especially knowing there was a great day of horse racing ahead, including the Santa Anita Derby.

Me and my longtime running buddy, Martha, happy at the finish!

2 comments:

LaDuke said...

Wow, the finish line didn't look ANYTHING like that by the time I got to it...

Unknown said...

I second what Ali said! Nothing like that by the time I got there :) Way to go Forney for leading Team TOC in!

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