Seaside racing in Southern California celebrates 72nd season of sporting ponies, bets and the Del Mar scene. And it all begins July 20.
Thundering hooves, equine nostrils aspirating loudly, horse whisperers muttering incantations to invoke Pegasus while the constant din of salivating excitement for a hopeful long shot ricochets through the grandstands. The celebratory sound of fine French champagne with the haberdashery of haute couture millinery rivaling the Royal Ascot helps the art of racing in the sun remain a winning trifecta of entertainment.
Since 1937, when Crosby greeted the first attendees at the gate, Del Mar’s racetrack has lured many a celebrity, dignitaries, horsemen and families to its seaside locale to try their “hand” at handicapping thoroughbreds.
“…And awa-a-ay they go” – the signature herald of Trevor Denman, the voice of Del Mar Racing – will usher horse and rider to the gate for Del Mar’s 72nd season July 20. Del Mar plays host to six designated Breeder’s Cup Challenge races in its summer stakes schedule, earning the winners a berth in the designated BC races including entry fees and travel allowances for the horse and its connections.
According to Craig Fravel, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) general manager, “The ‘Win and You’re In’ races that make up the Breeders’ Cup Challenge pack some real punch. In light of those incentives, we expect our Challenge races to attract additional horses, and good ones at that. It surely should be a positive for us and our racing fans.” Fravel continued, “Del Mar’s six Challenge races are reflective of its standing among the leading tracks in the country. Checking the list of top tracks and the number of Challenge races assigned to each, it reads like this: Saratoga (5), Keeneland, Santa Anita fall meet, Del Mar (6) and Belmont fall meet (8). The Breeders Cup has spread the wealth in this regard and Del Mar has gotten its fair share.”
In regards to the future of the horse racing industry in California, Joe Harper, CEO of DMTC, offers this special insight: “For our meet this summer at Del Mar, we’ve instituted a program where we’re going to reward owners for going out and getting racehorses from other jurisdictions and bringing them to California to run.”
With the question of a viable industry on everyone’s mind regarding the Del Mar Fairgrounds master plan, Harper responded, “California horse racing is in a most challenging — and most interesting — time. Master plan or no master plan, Del Mar and horse racing will carry on in San Diego. You can count on it. We’ve got a special spot here with our gorgeous location on the beach and we’ve got the ideal summer racing dates.”
Most racing fans are unaware that west coast racing is an island by itself from the east coast. “The racing states in the east are bunched together and there is a lot more interaction among them and their horses. It’s a long way out to California for most folks, so anything we do is usually self-contained,” notes Harper. “We’re going to give direct economic rewards to California owners, or owners from out of state, who bring their horses here to our track to take part in our seven-week meeting. We’ve got a whole industry that looks forward to escaping the grind and the smog in Los Angeles and heading south to let their collective hair down. Del Mar stands on its own. It’s a good thing and we work hard every year to make our good thing better.”
The 2011 U.S. Challenge races will be televised on ESPN, TVG and HRTV and on TSN in Canada.
