Stephanie:

"Santa Anita Racetrack, just one of the many tracks in Southern California, sends its races to 800 live wagering sites throught North America. The amount wagered during Santa Anita's latest four month season at all of those sites combined, was just under $1 billion. Of that, approximately 800 million dollars is paid back to the wagering public, though the percentage varies slightly from track to track.

"This project looks at the people who attend the races in the hopes of sharing in that wealth, and attempts to put a face to the nameless crowds that huddle around self-service betting terminals ... muttering numbers and odds. No matter how indifferent a racing fan may seem, when the bell rings and the announcer shouts "Racing!", all eyes face front and the only words heard are "C'mpn three!!!", "Get up there, six!!!" ... "Awww, sonofa ...".

"Annual attendance at Santa Anita is approximately two million and draws a crowd composed of every ethnicity and income level. Families with small children, young couples and weary senior citizens - the entire life cycle is represented in the three tiered grandstands.

"The photos included here and at: At the Races, I are just a few of the many taken at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park. For a copy of a more complete brochure which expands on this theme and other works, please see 'contact' information below."

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Though seats are available with the price of admission, fans at both Santa Anita and Hollywood Park often crouch and stand in the gently sloping open areas closest to the track.
Tickets, once checked for a win (or loss) are discarded on the blacktop and blanket the track grounds by the end of a racing day.

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When the starting gate is moved to just in front of the grandstands, young and old line the fence along the track to feel the thunder of hooves as the horses begin racing.

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This family laughs together while picking favorite horses out of a program at Santa Anita.

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A trainer jokes with friends while standing under the shadow of a heat lamp at Santa Anita’s "Clocker’s Corner" - the breakfast bar next to the track. The eatery is open to the public during morning workouts but is primarily frequented by trainers, jockeys and owners.

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Links To:

Broadway, LA
Selected Works
At the Races, I
Related Background
Photo Credits
Resume
Site Directory

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"LA Stories" Exhibits :

... the Karpeles Museum, Santa Barbara, CA. November 1999 through February 2000
... the Focalpoint Gallery on City Island, Bronx, N.Y., May, 2000
... the Center for the Arts, Abilene, TX, July 2000
... Allan Hancock College, Lompoc, CA, September, 2001
... The Basement Gallery, Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA,September, 2002

Contact Information:
smdiani@pacbell.net S. M. Diani or call:
323-936-4905 or 805-692-7480 (pager)
See also: Huntfor.com

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