Our Laguna: All bets are off with this troupe of ladies

Santa Anita Park dedicated the sixth race Sunday to a group of some of Laguna’s most prominent women and a couple of their friends.

Friends of the Library President Martha Lydick arranged the day at the races for Mayor Elizabeth Pearson, Laguna Beach County Water District General Manager Renae Hinchey and district Human Resources Manager Michelle Boyd, Visitors and Conference Bureau President Karyn Philippsen, Building Industries Assn. Executive Director Kris Thalman, City Clerk Martha Anderson, former Orange County Library community relations director Helen Lotos and her fellow Mensa member Jan Lawson and Lydick’s polo buddy, Diane Sanchez.

Lydick, a racing and polo enthusiast, distributed a handy little tip card that included racing terms and a guide to get bettors “on the fast track to wagering — from the starting gate of placing a bet to the finish line of cashing in.”

Philippsen didn’t need the tips. She bet $10 on Triple Crème in the “Real Divas” sixth race solely because of the name — food is a big part of her job in promoting the restaurants and hotels of Laguna — and won $40.

As a bonus, Philippsen had her picture taken with Triple Crème owner Bobby Flay, a restaurateur often seen on Food Network.

The group was in the winner’s circle during the race and had their pictures taken with the winning jockey, Joseph Talamo.

Before the race, the group was escorted to the barn, carefully watching their steps.

“The barn smell makes me feel like I am at home on the family farm in North Carolina,” said Pearson, who visits there often — there are pictures of her milking a cow.

Next stop was the paddock where the horses in the race were being walked — a beautiful sight, although one of them was startled by Lydich’s fetching black and yellow hat with its waving feathers. Boyd also wore a hat — one of her own designs, decorated with her mother’s vintage broaches.

Clothes were an important factor for the group — the Turf Club has rigid rules for men and women and it doesn’t make exceptions — even for friends of Lydick, whom Group Sales and Event Director Chris Quinn called the mayor of Santa Anita.

The day got off to a good start for Boyd, Anderson, Pearson and Hinchey who bet on Knockout Artist in the first race. Boyd owes her win to her husband, Councilman Kelly Boyd.

“He watched a fight last night — that’s why I bet on the horse,” Michelle Boyd said.

Pearson and Thalman won the exacta in the second race, with a bet on Fair Kisses to win and Naughty Marianna to show. Betters collect on an exacta if they pick two horses in the same race to finish first and second in “exact” order.

Tommy is Anderson’s brother’s name so she felt obliged to bet on Warren’s Tommy Too to place in the third race and it paid off.

Meanwhile, Lydick picked up her first win of the day, betting on a race at Keeneland track in Kentucky.

“Garrett Gomez, a California jockey, was riding so I bet on him and he won,” Lydick said. “He also won the next race.”

But she didn’t have time to place a second bet — she was busy introducing the group to Jay Cohen, who plays the bugle to announce the races, called the Call to Post, which he has done more than 80,000 times.

Cohen has bugled at Santa Anita, Hollywood and Fairplex parks since 1987. He appeared as the bugler in “Seabiscuit.”

On Sunday, he visited the Laguna group’s table and serenaded them individually.

Cohen played “Raindrops Are Dropping on My Head” for Hinchey — she wishes. Lydick’s song was “I’m in the Mood for Love.” Cohen chose “Happy Days are Here Again” for Michelle Boyd; “Hail to the Chief” for Pearson and “If I Had a Hammer” for Thalman.

Hinchey and Michelle Boyd won the exacta in the fourth race. Pearson and Thalman bet on Unzip Me to place, which it did.

Football fans would have been amused at the name of a filly in the fifth race: Warren’s Moon. Good heavens! Warren Moon was a professional quarterback for years in Canada before moving back to the United States.

Racing handicapper Jimmy the Hat wandered by to welcome Lydick and give the group a couple of tips.

Moviegoers might remember him from “Blues Brothers.”

Thalman was the big winner of the day, collecting more than $90.

Lydick, who most often goes home a winner, didn’t have time to research her bets as she usually does, but found two winning tickets in her purse when she got home. She has a year to claim the money, but she’ll be back at the track this weekend, which concludes the season.

Racing will begin again Sept. 30 for a month and then Dec. 26 through mid-April 2011.

Here’s a tip for Laguna’s peripatetic seniors. Every Thursday is “Salute to Seniors.” A $16 ticket includes admission, parking, lunch, a program and disabled assistance. For groups of 10 or more, call (800) 574-6400.

OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; call (949) 380-4321 or e-mail coastlinepilot@latimes.com.