With the prestigious Breeders’ Cup coming up this weekend, the fourth fall thoroughbred horse racing season is scheduled to open at the Del Mar Racetrack Wednesday.
What the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club calls its “Bing Crosby Season” in honor of the legendary crooner will offer 16 dates of racing through Nov. 26, mostly Thursdays through Sundays. First post Wednesday is 12:30 p.m.
The 34th Breeders’ Cup world championships, being held at Del Mar for the first time, will be Friday and Saturday.
The premier race on the first day will be the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff, featuring top horses in Stellar Wind, Elate, Abel Tasman and Paradise Woods.
On Saturday, the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic will pit Gun Runner, who has dominated three recent Grade 1 races, against Arrogate, North America’s richest horse with more than $17.3 million in earnings. Arrogate defeated Gun Runner in two previous meetings, the Travers and Dubai World Cup.
Collected, which upset Arrogate in the Pacific Classic in August in Del Mar, is also in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Other than the Breeders’ Cup days, general admission is $6. Reserved and box seating runs an extra $4-8 depending on the day.
A limited number of Breeders’ Cup tickets remain, and can be obtained online at breederscup.com/tickets.
— City News Service