Stephanie:
"Santa Anita Race track, 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'mon 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 on At the Races, II 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."
Casual or formal, anything goes at Hollywood Park Race track in Inglewood during the Friday night races that opened the track’s 1999 meet.
Friday night at Hollywood Park is “Dollar Night”, meaning dollar beers for anyone with the appropriate identification.
Though the alcohol is only sold to those twenty-one or over, it is readily accessible to the entire crowd.
Friday nights at Hollywood Park are also a 'date night' of sorts, as couples take advantage of cheap alcohol and the excitement of live wagering to flirt and hold each other in front of an oblivious throng.
Broadway, LA
Selected Works
At the Races, II
Related Background
Photo Credits
Resume
Site Directory
See also: Huntfor.com and
her main site:
Stephanie Diani Photojournalist
"LA Stories" Solo Shows :
... the Karpeles Museum, Santa Barbara, CA. November 1999 through February 2000
Contact Information:
smdiani@pacbell.net S. M. Diani or call:
323-936-4905 or 805-692-7480 (pager)