With California’s horse industry reeling with the July 16 announcement from 1/ST Racing that it will be closing down Golden Gate Fields Later this year, the state’s racing scene will receive much-needed optimism on July 21 when Del Mar opening for a 31-day summer meetup.
The popular coastal track 20 miles north of San Diego is a destination for riders and fans alike, with tickets for Friday’s opening game sold out. Entries for Friday were also plentiful, with 113 entries and 11 also qualifying in 10 races — an early continuation of last year’s track success when it averaged 9.14 runners each. race, far exceeding industry standards, especially in California. Horsemen responded by placing an average daily bet of $18.7 million.
With the exception of some promotions — such as the opening-day $1 million guarantee for a single ticket Winner Pick Six — some changes from last year are at the “Where The Turf Meets The Surf”. As in 2022, Del Mar is again holding 39 major stakes and a record equivalent bet of $8,275 million, starting with the traditional opening day feature, $100,000 Limited Oceanside Stakes. for 3 year olds. The one-mile grass race is in preparation for the $300,000 Derby Del Mar (G2T) at 1 1/8 mile on September 3.
The firm , Oh man , classic cat , Conclude , escape artist , Game time , Mr. Fisk And Panic alarm were among the 14 who entered.
“I think this year’s race is a lot better than it was a few years ago in terms of quality and depth. That should get us off to a good start,” said Del vice-president and race secretary David Jerkens. Mar said.
Game Time and Panic Alarm are both owned by Hronis Racing and coached by John Sadler, with the latter being a European import and the former being a two-fight winner Alcatraz Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on May 28.
Game Time Wins $75,000 Alcatraz Stakes at Golden Gate Fields
Game Hour “fits very well, a Northern California bet winner this year. He runs a good race every time,” Sadler said. “The Panic Alarm was a horse we bought as a fledgling in Europe (with a ticket signed by BBA Ireland). It was there in Ireland and ran at Royal Ascot, didn’t run very well, but it came. here and done pretty well.”
Both Jerkens and Sadler spent the early part of their careers in Northern California, with Sadler running some of his first horses in the late 1970s at the now-defunct Bay Meadows, and Jerkens spending about 10 years at Golden Gate , became a racing secretary there before accepting his post. current location at Del Mar.
“I hope people will stand on their own,” Jerkens said of those affected by the impending closure of the Golden Gate. “There’s been about a million races already, the community there and the people there is second to none. I hope it all works out for them in the end.”
A year ago, it was Sadler who trained the star of the summer meet Del Mar in Flight route , who entered the track’s signature race, the $1.05 million Pacific Classic (G1) with a record 19 1/4 lengths. Starting later, he will join the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland is on track to be named Horse of the Year.
out of money coached by Bob Baffert, the West Coast’s top prospect for the race, is more likely to enter the mix after Del Mar overcame the San Diego 1/16-mile Handicap (G2) on May 29. 7.
Flightline gave Sadler his fourth win in the Pacific Classic, all in the past five runs. Hronis Racing owns all four, Flightline cooperates and only with capital (2021), Higher capacity (2019) and Urge (2018). Accelerate also won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic and the Eclipse Award as the older men’s champion that year.
“I have a horse named Miss the cut it’s going to run in San Diego,” Sadler said. “He really looks like a mile-and-a-half horse.”
After starting seven times abroad, Missed The Cut, son of Quality Sugar placed second in the June 11 subsidy race at Santa Anita . Park in the US debut for the owners of Bee Zee, Lanes End Racing, St. Elias Stables, Edward Babington, Edward J. Hudson Jr. and Lynne Hudson.
The Pacific Classic is one of six races Del Mar will participate in in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In—races that offer paid, automated parking to Breeders’ Cup races. point. The winner of the Pacific Classic earns a spot at the November 4 Breeders’ Cup Classic in Santa Anita.
John Sadler
“We think we’ll be in some of those big races, just a more casual course than last year,” said Sadler, a three-time coaching champion at Del Mar.
With 12 winners last year, Sadler is in eighth place in the summer standings, behind Phil D’Amato and Baffert, who come out on top with 19 wins each.
Juan Hernandez ran away with the equestrian title, ahead of Umberto Rispoli, Ramon Vasquez and Mike Smith. Hernandez also won the 2021 title in Del Mar’s shorter fall encounter.
With no games to replenish the wallet in California, Del Mar’s overnight purses don’t come close to the level of some racetracks in other parts of the country, although they are competitive. Del Mar maiden wallets will be auctioned for $82,000, the highest maiden purse in California history.
Working with Purebred Owners of California, Del Mar is once again offering an overnight wallet bonus available through the track’s lucrative “Ship & Win” incentive program and its first dirty bounty program. It.
“We had to do it the old-fashioned way in California,” said Tom Robbins, executive vice president of racing and industry relations at Del Mar.
Outside of the older male dirt division, the bet winners are classified Naughty Offlee , Twilight Sparkle And Go watching around were among the horses that showed up on July 18 at Del Mar, likely an indication of upcoming departures at the meeting.
(LR): Del Mar CEO Tom Robbins and David Jerkens
According to Jerkens, eastbound trainers Jonathan Thomas, Tom Proctor, Rowan Crichton and Jerry O’Dwyer will be sending horses to the stables at Del Mar this summer, mostly for the first time, and Proctor after being absent for a few days. past year. Jerkens added that Robertino Diodoro, Patrick Biancone, Amador Sanchez, Todd Fincher and Jeff Engler will also return from racing at Del Mar last summer.
The track has other attractions, with dry weather that rarely results in the race having to move off the lawn and with summer temperatures much cooler than in other parts of Southern California.
“Being just 100 yards from the Pacific isn’t such a bad thing,” says Robbins.
Del Mar is a meetup where California riders regularly point out their best horses after the dismal May and June of the extended Santa Anita Park season and the Fair’s lesser summer afternoon race Los Angeles County at Racetrack Los Alamitos. The two-year-old race was also in full swing throughout the summer at Del Mar, culminating in Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Del Mar Debutante (G1) at the end of the meeting.
“For me personally, I have a lot of horses to run — so many different types,” says Sadler. “I’m happy to take them away.”
Item: Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside S.
Del MarFriday, July 21, 2023, Race 8
- STK
- 1m
- pitch
- 100,000 USD
- 3 years old
- 5:30pm (local)
