I realize that Euro. Closing day at most places just means sweeping up the place, storing away the equipment, and turning off the lights when the last one leaves.
NYRA has to shuttle that stuff all the way up here and then back on down to Belmont. Some friends of mine and I like to be the last ones out of the place on closing day. We drink some beer out of coolers by the paddock and kind of soak in the ambience one last time and take some group pictures. We did it again yesterday and didn't walk out until it was dark. Its always amazing how different it looks and feels just 6 weeks after it starts.
When it opens the grass in the grandstand is plush and green and covers everything. When it closes there isn't a blade to be found. Its all been worn away by the thousands of people and all thats there is dirt. When it opens the leaves are all green, when it closes you can see leaves that have already turned. When it opens the sun rises early and it sets late. When it closes you wake up and its still not totally bright and it gets dark much earlier.
When it opens you stand there and sweat in the heat and say man its hot. When it closes you stand there in the cool air and say its getting very chilly out here.
When it opens the anticipation of whether or not you are gonna win a bundle hangs in the air. When it closes the die has already been caqst. When it opens you wonder who all the big winners of the big races are gonna be and which trainers will be hot or cold. When it closes you already know.
As we walk out we always say see you in 46 weeks and take one last photo in front of the statues painted for the grade one winners of the previous year. Then we drain the last of our beer cans and prepare for reality to resume, and prepare for the colder weather and football gatherings. And there isn't ever a year when we all wish so hard that we could turn back the clock and just have one more week of fun.