When you get past the pomp and circumstance of Opening Day, the racing at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is, of course, the thing.
And last season, the club’s 83rd, it was a record-breaking thing.
The club predicted its most lucrative racing season ever last summer, and the projection came to pass. Purse levels reached more than $25 million for the session, for an average payout of $800,000-plus per day.
“We were absolutely thrilled by the huge response last year from our horsemen and horsewomen and our fans,” said Tom Robbins, Del Mar’s executive vice president and director of racing. “The racing throughout the summer was extremely safe and first-rate. Obviously, 2022 set a very high bar on all levels; we’re excited for the challenge of continuing these very strong trends.”
The 31-day racing season opens Friday, and as far as racing goes, this weekend there’s the $200,000 San Clemente Stakes.
Here are some other season highlights:
- There will be 39 major stakes. Six are designated as Breeders’ Cup Challenges races, offering a total of almost $8.3 million during the eight-week run.
- On July 29, the track will host the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes and the $300,000 San Diego Handicap.
- On Aug. 12, there will be the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes and the $250,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap.
- The biggest day will be Sept. 2 with five graded stakes. The biggest? Del Mar’s premier offering, the $1 million Grade I FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic at a mile and one quarter. Eventual Horse of the Year Flightline prevailed at the classic last year.
After the three-day opening weekend, Friday through Sunday, Del Mar will have five four-day weeks, with racing from Thursday through Sunday, a five-day week, Thursday to Monday for Labor Day weekend, then the final weekend of the season, a three-day affair, ending Sept. 10.
First posts generally range from 2 to 4 p.m. Opening weekend tickets are very limited, but some reserved seats remain available, starting at $10. General admission for race days after Friday starts at $8.