Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood was home to horse racing royalty over its 75 years in operation. Zenyatta, Seabiscuit, Citation, Secretariat and Seattle Slew, just to name a few, were all stabled at Hollywood Park at some point over their legendary careers.
But for so many, the track was so much more than just a place to go bet on ponies. It was a gathering place for a community, where society’s elite rubbed elbows with blue collar workers. It was home to the first ever Breeders Cup. And over the years it became a humming, diverse community where thousands of people from all walks of life would come together in one place.
In her new book, “Clubhouse Turn: The Twilight of Hollywood Park Race Track,” photographer Michele Asselin, who spent every day at the track in the two weeks before it closed, tells the story of the buildings, employees and patrons that made up the Hollywood Park community, and dives into the track’s history not only as a horse racing Mecca, but as a gathering place and community for people from all walks of life.
With guest host Lisa Napoli
Guest:
Michele Asselin, photographer and author of the book “Clubhouse Turn: The Twilight of Hollywood Park Race Track” (Angel City Press, 2020)