While many of the people in the infield were interested in the horses, or in other exploits,  Amanda Gregory of Arlington Va., was distracted by a white whale. Instead of reading a racing form, Gregory, 30, was sprawled on a blanket with two girlfriends, deeply immersed in reading Moby Dick.

 Gregory said she is “long out of class” and was reading the book purely for pleasure. “I think I know how it turns out,” he said. “It doesn’t seem like anything is going to happen for another 500 pages.”

 She said she hasn’t been paying much attention to the undercard – the preliminary races – but was waiting for the Preakness.