Memorabilia, and nostalgia, at Hollywood Park auction

Alex Hernandez, a member of the auction staff, plays a piano that is one of the items up for sale inside the Turf Club at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Ron Sanchez, 60, of Hollywood gets a closer look at artwork on display above betting windows at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.   (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Edgar Melendez of Los Angeles tries in vain to pick up a concrete lawn jockey inside a room full of memorabilia at Hollywood Park. The statues used to be located in the winner’s circle and the paddock.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Carlos Rodriguez, a member of the auction staff, moves a scale that was used to weigh jockeys.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Charles Francis, 64, of Inglewood previews items for auction, including giant banners hanging in the background.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jeff Schlender, left, and friend Eric Carstensen, both of Ventura, look at memorabilia up for auction, including street signs that were used to identify alleyways in the stable area.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jeff Schlender, left, and friend Eric Carstensen, both of Ventura, get a view of the track at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The last remaining flamingo walks along the edge of a lake inside the infield at Hollywood Park in Inglewood.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Karen Gogue of Long Beach looks at memorabilia up for auction, including Hollywood Park racing saddle blankets and photographs of horses on the wall.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Bobblehead dolls of jockey Julie Krone are on display inside a room full of auction memorabilia.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Televisions that were used to broadcast horse races for visitors to Hollywood Park are stacked inside the betting windows.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Karen Gogue of Long Beach takes photographs of items that are up for auction.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Sandy Munsil of Yorba Linda checks out a bar located inside the Director’s Room at Hollywood Park. It, too, will be auctioned off.  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)