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Lisa Rene Anderson of San Diego gets interviewed about her hat. Anderson has competed in the opening day hats contests fro 14 years, usually incorporating a horse theme. Two years ago she won the grand prize with a bronze-looking horse hat.
Angela Carone
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Hats are worn by most of the women attending opening day, whether they are competing in the contests or just celebrating the opening of the racing season.
Angela Carone
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The "One and Only Truly Fabulous Hats Contest" includes four different categories. This woman entered her hat in the "Most Glamorous" category.
Angela Carone
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Frank Hultz of San Diego could of entered his hat in the "Best Racing Theme" category or the "Funniest/Most Outrageous" category.
Angela Carone
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Marla Quinoz of San Diego is competing for the first time.
Angela Carone
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One of the categories is Best Flowers. Ana Flora Royer of Escondido was a grand prize winner in 2004. She is a florist and this is her eighth year attending opening day at Del Mar.
Angela Carone
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Large and colorful hats filled the Stretch Run Plaza de Mexico at Del Mar racetrack.
Angela Carone
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This young couple dressed the part for opening day at Del Mar.
Angela Carone
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Lori Shelton has entered every contest since 1996. When her now teenaged daughter was a baby, she integrated her into a hat in a jockey costume with a stuffed horse. Remarkably, she didn't win that year, but was a grand prize winner in 2007.
Angela Carone
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A bright red hat worn by a woman attending opening day at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Angela Carone
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This is the second opening day celebration for Daniela from Imperial Beach. It took her two months to make this hat out of playing cards.
Angela Carone
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Size doesn't always matter. Gladys found her miniature hat in an antique store in Solana Beach. She said she "isn't really a hat person so she went the opposite way."
Angela Carone
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Needless to say, the hat competition drew plenty of spectators.
Angela Carone
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And some spectators gathered for more than the hats.
Angela Carone
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There was a photo booth set up in the Plaza de Mexico for attendees to capture the moment.
Angela Carone
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Stephanie Huynh and Tess Reeves are cousins. It's Tess' first time at the races and Stephanie is showing her the ropes, or the hats, as it were.
Angela Carone
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Sandra McKenna is attending her first opening day and she went with an elaborate witch/spider theme.
Angela Carone
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Kids are eligible to sign up for the hat competitions as well.
Angela Carone
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These women were all competing in the various hat contests and socializing throughout the afternoon.
Angela Carone
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One of the television reporters did her stand-up trying to balance a large floral hat.
Angela Carone
Opening day of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's 71st racing season brought the traditional array of millinery delights to the fairgrounds. Women and men wore hats of all sizes and styles as they gathered under overcast skies.
Opening day always includes a contest for the fashionably adventurous and competitive, known as the "One and Only Truly Fabulous Hats Contest." Prizes are given to winners in four categories: most glamorous, funniest/most outrageous, best racing theme, and best fresh flowers.
I mingled with my camera to capture the loveliest, strangest, funniest, and most elaborate hats in the mix. Check out our exclusive Culture Lust gallery of photos.
The Del Mar racing season lasts 37 days, running through September 8. There is no racing on Mondays, except for Labor Day, and Tuesdays. First post is at 2 p.m., except on Fridays, when races start at 4 p.m.
