BALTIMORE -- Pimlico Race Course was open for business Friday, as were most thoroughbred tracks in America. The mood at the storied plant known as "Old Hilltop," where the Preakness is a rite of spring celebrated by 100,000 people, was as somber as it has been in its long history. A race card unfolded for the second straight day before relatively few patrons, virtually no cheering and a pervasive feeling as dark as Friday's scudding clouds.

The gathering of about 2,500 scattered about indoors and outside -- about 500 fewer than normal for a weekday -- included hardened, and in some cases desperate, bettors; occasional visitors, and others who found themselves at the track as the result of some odd circumstance. At midday, a television set was tuned to the memorial service at the National Cathedral. Uniformly, Pimlico patrons spoke sadly of Tuesday's terrorist strike against America -- and some mentioned they had been praying.

"There is no good time to reopen," said Lou Raffetto, Pimlico's chief operating officer. He said that the decision by most tracks to reopen Thursday was made during a conference call by the Thoroughbred Racing Association, a trade association of 43 tracks. Belmont Park and the Meadowlands, being used as staging areas in the lower Manhattan rescue operation, were among the few tracks closed Friday. Both have canceled racing through the weekend.

"Nobody had a 100 percent perfect answer for what we should do," Raffetto said. "There was some feeling that we needed to get back to the business at hand. The federal government sent the workers back. But I don't think there's a perfect time to go back."

Horsemen observed that a variety of people connected with thoroughbred racing, a less-than-robust industry, needed the opportunity to earn wages that in many cases are relatively low and could possibly be lost. For some customers, the races simply seemed to be a place to go.

"I just came out after work," said Greg Brown of Baltimore, an air conditioning and heating installer who sat alone outside on the mostly vacant, windy concourse. "I feel a lot of sadness. I did some praying. I talked to people on the phone. I just needed some time, so I came out here."

Mark Johnston, a jockey, also said that he had prayed -- and urged others to pray.

"Jockeys are too small to give blood. Mostly everybody's under 120 pounds. But we've taken up a collection to make a donation to the Red Cross. It's a small thing, but that's what we've done," Johnston said. "I'm finding it hard just to leave the house. But you don't want to watch TV all day. You want to be informed. But I get depressed watching it.

"For me, it's good to be back at work. It takes my mind off things a good part of the day. I know professional sports are business, but in horse racing, it's a livelihood for so many people. Praying -- that's the best way to help."

"Sometimes going back to work and doing the things you do is better. You're not allowed to dwell on the things that hurt," said Steve McHargue, paddock judge and timer. "Three things in my life I'll never forget are President Kennedy's assassination, the Gulf War and this."

Dove Houghton, an assistant trainer, discussed the tragedy with colleagues near the paddock before sending out the filly Dare Party in the second race. "In keeping with the rest of the country -- we are a resilient country and as a people we bounce back -- we in the horse business kind of never slow down for anything," she said. "We're always pushing forward. We have to stand up and go on with our lives and prove what a strong country we are. For us in the horse business, this is our life and our livelihood."

She described "an eerie calm" in the barns since Tuesday, a "shocked" community of workers on the backstretch, then a resolve to get "back on our game."

Dare Party won wire to wire, but Houghton still seemed wistful in victory. "She tries hard," said Houghton, heading off with her horse.

"It's sad. It's unbelievable," said trainer Carlos Garcia, sharing the feelings of countless Americans. He expressed some surprised that racing had resumed before other sports. "I think we race a little bit too quick," he said.

Glen and Brenda Hill ate slices of pizza on a bench near the finish line. From Auburn, N.Y., they had come to Baltimore to see Cal Ripken play. With the baseball games postponed, they found their way to Pimlico before leaving for home. "The players are millionaires, but this has to affect the parking people, the vendors, the group that people don't think about. It looks like it's affected the whole town," Glen Hill said.

"I needed money. I thought I'd get some money," said Joseph Carroll of Baltimore. "I won $38 on the second race and I lost it back on this race."

Bad luck or not, he spoke quietly about the overriding tragedy, how he was sure the terrorists had help and his fear that this country will not learn "everything" about them.

The American and state flags in the infield had been lowered. Inside, there was a complete absence of cheering even though fans watched races on closed circuit from other tracks. People cashed out winning tickets, but there was none of the frivolity associated with a day at the races.

The tone of the day was set by a public address announcement shortly before noon: "In just a few moments, across our nation, Americans will participate in the national day of prayer and remembrance by pausing for five minutes to pray, reflect and try to come to terms with the immediate impact of this horrific attack upon our shores. The challenge facing the United States in the longer-term process of grief, healing and acceptance of how much the lives and futures of all citizens will be forever changed. At the thoughtful suggestion of President Bush, we ask our patrons, horsemen and Maryland Jockey Club family to join all Americans for this observance."

Copyright 2001 The Washington Post Company