With, unsurprisingly, an emphasis on Travers Day.

Approximately 6:20 am…

…and a stranger says to me, “If heaven’s like this, I’ll never sin again…”

Venturing to the back, we are greeted with electronic welcome messages…

…just before the gates open for the first sprint of the day, as hundreds run to grab a prime spot…approximately 7 am…

…and 7:15, settled in, beverages in hand. It will take a little while before the beer pong table is set up.

An addition to this year’s Travers, right next to the paddock…apparently the sign doesn’t apply to those whose name is NetJets…

Some of the weekend winners…

…including Madison’s Sunday score, Sandstone Cat…

Macho Again’s most disappointed fan, while he still had hope…

Overheard leaving the paddock, Bobby Flay ribbing Andy Serling about two consecutive days of losing picks; Andy retorts that he had Slambino, at 88 – 1.

In the paddock for the finale on Saturday, the transition begins…

…and is complete on Sunday:

D. Wayne Lukas at the Belmont Child Care Association last Wednesday, serving as auctioneer: “If you open your hearts, your wallets will follow…” (More on this event tomorrow)

Sunday in the paddock, Channing Hill on board a prickly filly; he repeatedly soothes her, strokes her neck, tries to calm her down…

Say it ain’t so…