Column: Virgen’s View: Palmers to celebrate 64th wedding anniversary at Del Mar

When Don Palmer was a high school sophomore in Miami, he experienced a broken heart, yet he discovered love. His sweetheart, Arline, moved to California, but Palmer knew just what to do.

He dropped out of high school and followed her to the Golden State. He went for love, even though Arline’s parents would have preferred they be apart. A few years later, Don and Arline eloped in Las Vegas. They were just kids.

Now they have grown old together. The Palmers are excited to celebrate their 64^th wedding anniversary Saturday at a place very close to their hearts: the Del Mar race track.

Don has a strong passion for horse racing and is excited at this time of the year, as Del Mar Opening Day takes place Wednesday.

Sixty-four years of marriage have gone by for the Palmers, who live in Newport Beach. The years haven’t all been perfect, but everything seems just right when they are at the race track.

Saturday will be the 22^nd time they have celebrated their wedding anniversary at Del Mar. Seven years ago, Don, a racehorse owner, established Live Your Dream Racing Stable. He is excited to know that there will be a race in that name Saturday. He’ll also do his best Bing Crosby impersonation and sing the Del Mar song, “Where the Turf Meets the Surf.”

“A bad day at the track is always better than a good day at the office,” Don says.

Two years ago he authored his third book: “Driven By The Passion To Own Race Horses.” He had it out just in time for the Del Mar races and was featured in the Daily Pilot.

It was also another occasion to celebrate his wedding anniversary. The Palmers have three children and seven grandchildren, including Parker Cohn, who was featured in the Daily Pilot for his surfing recently. Cohn finished runner-up in the open men’s division of the National Scholastic Surfing Assn. Championships earlier this month.

Don is also fond of surfing, but horse racing remains as the strongest passion for the 83-year-old. He held on to a couple of fillies and made them broodmares. One mare was bred to Acclamation, who won the Grade-1 $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2011.

Don named the filly from Acclamation, Acclaim the Queen, who he hopes will be ready to race at Del Mar next month.

The other filly is Mucho Macho Woman, bred from Mucho Macho Man, who won the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic in 2013.

After all these years, Don continues to live his dream.

“I don’t make my living running racehorses or writing books,” he said. “I make my living to be able to own racehorses and write books.”

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Twitter: @SteveVirgen