Review of Del Mar RaceTrack Articles | Horse Betting

By: Richard Bleuze

Review of Del Mar RaceTrack

Founded by Bing Crosby, Pat O'Brien, and Bill Quigley, Del Mar is the premier summer race meeting in California.

Del Mar is a beautiful property that is always lively with great people watching, good food & drinks in addition to great races along with offering huge purses. 
 
Since its inception in 1937, Del Mar has served as a playground for Hollywood celebrities.
Co-founder Bing Crosby himself took tickets from patrons at the gate.
Everyone from Walt Disney to Greta Garbo came out to enjoy the races and sign autographs for fans,
The San Diego County Fair is held on the track's grounds and in neighboring Old Del Mar.

Del Mar is the place "where the surf meets the turf" according to the song written by co-founder Bing Crosby, a resort where he and his fellow Hollywood elite can come down to enjoy the cool ocean breezes in August. The elite of the entertainment world came to see the elite of the horse racing world, as top jockeys John Longden and later Bill Shoemaker and Laffit Pincay Jr. called it home. As well, the great Seabiscuit defeated his stablemate Ligaroti in a match race at Del Mar.

From December 1941 to July 1945, World War II forced the shutdown of racing in California, which made for a convenient point for dividing the first two eras of Del Mar. The post-war period was when Del Mar truly flourished as the place to see and be seen in the racing world.  In 1960, Del Mar unveils its brand-new seven-eighths mile turf course with its unique diagonal chute that allows for mile and one-sixteenth and mile and one-eighth starts. The course is an instant success.

In 1973, Del Mar inaugurates the "Rocking Chair Derby", a gathering of former riders for a return to glory in one exhibition race each summer. Racing's answer to the "Old-Timers Game".  In 1985, Del Mar completes an underground tunnel into its infield and fans flock to the center of the track for picnics, rays, frisbee flings and close-up views of the thoroughbred action.  It quickly becomes hard to believe that the infield hasn't been part of the track forever.  In 1989, Del Mar RaceTack becomes the nation's leading track with a daily average handle of $7,510,867.  In addition, Del Mar also announces plans for its richest race ever--the $1,000,000 "Pacific Classic" for 1991.  And in that same year, finalizes a program for the start of a new $80,000,000 grandstand following racing in '91.  In 1992, the old grandstand was rebuilt to its current configuration, ushering in the third era in the track's history.  In 1993, the "new" Del Mar with the completion of the gran stand, $80-million worth, is dedicated by Governor Pete Wilson.  In 2007, the polytrack era dawns at Del Mar, all $9-million worth of it, and the new main-track surface brings slower times, but safer trips for horses and riders.

Del Mar RaceTrack is one the the premiere tracks in the nation.  Del Mar Racetrack is always setting records with total money handled in addition to record daily averages.  Del Mar also has set on-track attendance increases just about every year.  Most likely because of the huge purses that it always seems to offer in addition to Del Mar offeringing huge pick six payouts.  

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