New Thing 181, New Thing Every Day: Watch Horse Races from the Clubhouse Box at Ellis Park

I grew up going to the horse races at Ellis Park in Henderson, KY. It was a regular after-church activity that we did several times each year for the first twelve years or so of my life -- a fun little Spence family outing.

We never, ever sat in the clubhouse box, though, probably because it was too expensive. We were sit-in-the-cheap-seats kind of people and that was just great. As a kid, there was so much to do and see, and  my dad always gave me two dollars to bet on each race, letting me keep my winnings and covering my losses.

Yesterday, I went with my mother and brother, and Mom got us seats in the clubhouse box, with its air conditioning, buffet, and beverages. It was just as fun to be there with the three of us as I remembered (although it made me miss my dad a little extra). Setting aside that I lost $60 (as opposed to my always-lucky brother winning about $60), it was a wonderful day.