Willowdale

The Willowdale Steeplechase committee obviously has some pull with the Higher Power: the weather on Sunday was perfect for an afternoon of racing and tailgating. The crowd was big, but it never "felt" crowded.
The races were very exciting, and what's neat about Willowdale is that you can see almost the whole race without hurrying from one side of the course to the other. The outriders, from River Hills Fox Hounds, saw quite a lot of action, as several horses unseated their jockeys and went running off, with the outriders in hot pursuit. (One member of my party, not a shabby rider himself, said he greatly admired their horsemanship: "I mean, you have to be able to take a jump AND grab the horse's reins at the same time!") One loose horse stayed in the race, riderless, until almost the finish line.
I saw lots and lots of friends and neighbors, many of whom were kind enough to feed me extraordinarily well: filet of beef sandwiches and amazing shrimp at one party; a Capriotti's "Bobby" sub at another (turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce); vegetarian wraps and wonderful desserts at the third. A lot of the ladies wore festive hats, although the wind presented a bit of a challenge; one of my hostesses, a high-school teacher, kept her beautiful black hat in place with a long (and practical) hatpin as she poured out mint juleps to her guests.
Compliments to the Willowdale committee on another well-organized event!