Byrd's Eye View - Steeplechase 2010
By Heather Byrd and Rusty Terry
THE TENNESSEAN
Festive with a twist of guilt. That may be the best way to describe Saturday’s gloriously sunny Steeplechase, where the mood was celebratory as always but with definite overtones of “Should I really be here today?” The saving grace for many was that the 69th annual Iroquois Steeplechase was for charity, with proceeds going to flood victims and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Attendees were also asked to bring canned food for Second Harvest Food Bank. “It’s good to see the tradition continue, but I feel sad for all the people who’ve lost their belongings in the flood,” said Shawn Tate. “It’s important to remember that we’re raising money for charity. We have to come together as Nashvillians.” Of course, there was the usual contingent of hat-wearing revelers, tippling infielders and club-goers, and the possibly-in-the-minority group of people who actually watched the seven horse races taking place on the grounds at Percy Warner Park. There was also a certain determination to have a good time. Up on the hill at the Iroquois Society and Paddock Club, where tickets are pretty pricey, breezes were flowing and so were the cocktails. The weather was gorgeous, the mood exuberant. Gentlemen wore khakis and sport coats, and ladies in sundresses tried to outdo one another with fabulous hats. Although there was some talk of Nashville’s troubles, the Steeplechase was a much-needed diversion. Chris Chamberlain was enjoying himself at the Stirrup Club, topside parking where everyone set up tents and awnings and enjoyed drinks and lunches. It’s the Steeplechase’s version of high-end tailgating. “I love the Stirrup Club because you can walk down and see the races on the rail and come back up and have a great place to relax,” Chamberlain said. Frank Geis of Dallas, Texas, who was visiting longtime friend Carolyne Hadden, was enjoying his first Steeplechase. He hadn’t yet heard about the flood on Wednesday, when some Dallas friends asked whether he still planned to travel to Nashville. After learning that the races were still on, there was no stopping him. “I love it. I’ve had the best time and I plan to be back next year,” he said. More people than usual seemed to be dressed in costumes, like the Titans players dressed in short-shorts, an homage to the TV comedy Reno 911, and the larger number of people in the infield dressed as jockeys in colorful silks and jodhpurs. There was a bigger sense of community among the infield crowd, too. Tailgaters were offering up food and drink to strangers. Friendships were struck up quickly. The same people who had been giving or on the receiving end of kindness from strangers all week didn’t want to break the mood. “I feel a little guilty being here today but I’ve been volunteering all week and making donations, so that’s why I felt like I could come today -- because it’s for charity,” said Audrey Gaynor. Some people might not have come it all if they hadn’t bought their tickets so far in advance – and if they hadn’t been assured that they, too, could help Nashville’s recovery efforts simply by being there. “I have a couple of friends who suffered from the flood and others who were planning to come today but stayed behind to volunteer,” said Cynthia Bullinger, who owns Estel Gallery on 8th Avenue. “But you know, this is for the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, and they suffered from the flood, too.” Many made a public nod to both overcoming the flood and remembering its victims, decorating coolers and hats alike with handmade signs like the defiant “What flood? We’re here” and the more somber “Remember the folks in Bellevue, Flood 2010.” Meanwhile, the crowd was on its best behavior. Police had no issues with crowd control, which happens some years. Some of the more cautious attendees sported rain boots, although the track and the grounds were in perfect shape, unlike 2009’s soggy mess. No one stepped gingerly or sloshed around with muddy shoes and muck-splattered legs. Last year, more than one lady had to leave behind expensive heels that got stuck in the mud. Not this year. All of the mud, it seemed, was back home in everyone’s basements.
