Admin October 20, 2024
Del Mar is preparing to roll out the purple carpet for horse racing royalty.
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships – where the sport’s elite competes for year-end honors – will be returning to the seaside oval on Nov. 1 and 2. Fourteen Grade I races worth more than $34 million will be contested, which fall in the opening days of the track’s five-week Bing Crosby season.
It’s the third time Del Mar will be presenting the event, with previous editions held there in 2017 and 2021.
“Del Mar is a fantastic partner in hosting the World Championships, showcasing the highest levels of international thoroughbred racing while providing a tremendous hospitality experience,” Breeders’ Cup Limited President and Chief Executive Officer Drew Flemings said in a news release. “We look forward to our domestic and international fans returning to the San Diego area in a celebration of all the community and the World Championships have to offer.”
Kelley Carlson
Life Is Good, bred by Gary and Mary West of Rancho Santa Fe, was victorious in the Grade I, $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar in 2021.
It begins Oct. 25 with the weeklong Breeders’ Cup Festival, composed of events at the racetrack and around the community that showcase the local food, culture and entertainment, along with the top names in “The Sport of Kings.”
Among the highlights:
· Lucchese Bootmaker Pop Up Shop – Open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 25-Nov. 3 at JMI, 1412 Camino del Mar, Suite B.
· Breakfast at Breeders’ Cup – Fans can enjoy a morning meal and watch contenders gallop around the oval from 6 to 9:30 a.m. Oct. 26-31 from the track’s Clubhouse Terrace Restaurant.
· Breeders’ Cup Post Position Draw – The public is invited to this free event, scheduled from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28 in the Del Mar paddock. The draw is set to start at 4:15 p.m.; the paddock pubs will be open for food and beverage sales.
· Jennifer Croll Bourbon Tasting – Guests can sip on award-winning selections from Kentucky between 5 and 8 p.m. Oct. 28-Nov. 3 at 1555 Camino Del Mar, Suite 114.
· Racetrack Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) 2024 Night of Faith, Hope & Love – This casual dinner and Christian-based program that features a panel of racing celebrities is slated from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at Il Palio, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. The cost is $50; tickets must be pre-purchased. Go to www.rtcanational.org.
Kelley Carlson
Rancho Santa Fe resident Aron Wellman, right, president and founder of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, will have several contenders in this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, including Anisette, Candied, There Goes Harvard, Air Force Red and Vixen.
· Bash at the Breeders’ Cup – Patrons can unwind after “Future Stars Friday” on Nov. 1 at this fundraiser that supports Thoroughbred Charities of America. Starting at 6 p.m. across the street from the track, at the Hilton San Diego/Del Mar, there will be handcrafted cocktails, savory bites, an auction and music by Haute Chile. Ticket prices range from $150 to $250 before Oct. 28; the price goes up $50 afterward. Go to dmtc.com for ticket information.
Tucked in among the Breeders’ Cup festivities is Del Mar’s Opening Day. The autumn meet begins Oct. 31 with free general admission for Diamond Club members; the featured race will be the $100,000 Let It Ride Stakes for 3-year-old horses on the turf. There’s also a Horse Racing Women’s Summit that day, which will start at 11:30 a.m. in the 5th-floor Celebrity Suites. Participants have the opportunity to handicap six races and compete for prizes. The $125 ticket includes admission, valet parking, food and beverages. Go to www.womeninracingsummit.com.
Finally, on Nov. 1 and 2, the celebrating will culminate with the Breeders’ Cup races, as the winning horses are draped with purple-and-gold garlands and their connections raise their Torrie horse trophies in triumph. American stars nominated to compete include Kentucky Oaks heroine Thorpedo Anna, Preakness Stakes winners National Treasure and Seize the Grey, and Eclipse Award champions Fierceness and Idiomatic; the international contingent is expected to include horses such as European sensation City of Troy and Japanese-based globetrotting trio Derma Sotogake, Ushba Tesoro and Forever Young.
Admission tickets and parking passes for the Breeders’ Cup must be pre-purchased, as attendance is capped at 37,500, according to a news release – there are no walk-ins permitted. As of press time, limited tickets at various price points were still available; go to breederscup.com or call (859) 514-9428.
Alternatives to parking passes include rideshare options such as taxi, Uber and Lyft. Attendees who plan to travel to Del Mar by train can take advantage of the free shuttle between the Solana Beach station and the track.
Racing fans who aren’t able to make it to the event can watch it on NBC, Peacock, USA Network and FanDuel TV, with continuous coverage of all Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 1 and 2 streaming live on Peacock.
Kelley Carlson
The Breeders’ Cup statue near the fountain in Del Mar’s Plaza de Mexico is a reproduction of the Torrie horse that was created in Florence by Giovanni da Bologna in the late 1580s.
Serious horseplayers can participate in the Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) regardless of their location. The contest has a $10,000 buy-in, with, $7,500 going toward the live bank roll and $2,500 designated for the prize pool. The total cash prize pool is expected to be $1.25 million, based upon a minimum of 500 players registered. Local participants can play at Del Mar or online at TVG.com, Xpressbet.com, Twinspires.com or NYRABets.com.
“The Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge once again offers horseplayers a chance to win big while wagering on the world’s best thoroughbreds,” BCBC Tournament Director Tim Schram said in a news release. “This elite competition truly tests the mettle of big-money tournament players, and we are delighted to offer players a variety of opportunities to participate, whether you are joining us live at Del Mar, at our satellite locations, or participating with our online providers.”
To register, go to BreedersCup.com/BCBC or dmtc.com. For contest questions, email chris@dmtc.com or tim@breederscup.com.
Fall favorites
The Breeders’ Cup festivities may end after Del Mar’s opening weekend, but the track still has plenty planned for the remainder of the month.
“The fall meet … has world-class racing, fun and exciting events, and promotions for everyone,” said Chris Bahr, Del Mar’s director of events and promotions.
New for the Bing Crosby season is Family Fun Day, set for Nov. 29. It’s typically a summer tradition.
“A lot of people are looking for things to do has a family (during the Thanksgiving holiday break),” Bahr explained.
Among the free attractions will be a pumpkin jump, obstacle course, rock climbing walls, face painters, a Game Zone, and a meet-and-greet with Pony Boy.
Others notables on the calendar include the Uncorked Wine Festival (Nov. 9), College Day (Nov. 16), the San Diego Food Bank donation drive (Nov. 17), Beer & Cider Fest (Nov. 23), the Toys for Tots donation drive (Nov. 24) and the Handicapping Challenge (Nov. 30). More information can be found at dmtc.com.
Each week, there are Free & Fun Sundays for Diamond Club members; a Weekend Handicapping Seminar an hour before the first race on the Hacienda Room Patio; Frank Scatoni’s “Best Bet” handicapping seminar at 11 a.m. Sundays on Del Mar’s YouTube channel; Sunday brunches during Taste of the Turf Club; Wine Down and Seniors’ Day on Fridays, starting Nov. 8; and college football and NFL viewing in the pub areas.
The final weekend of autumn racing at Del Mar will feature the Turf Festival. It will consist of seven stakes races during the last three days of the meet, including the Grade I, $300,000 Hollywood Derby and the Matriarch Stakes.
On Closing Day, Dec. 1, there will be mandatory payouts for all wagers. In addition, there will be a special “Data On Us” promotion, where bettors can sign up to receive free handicapping information for the day’s racing card at dmtc.com. Participating publications will include Thoro-Graph, Today’s Racing Digest and Equibase.
“The combination of our usual fall attractions and the return of the Breeders’ Cup this year will make for a very special Bing Crosby season this time around,” Del Mar Vice President and Racing Secretary David Jerkens said in a news release. “We believe we offer the best racing in America during the fall, and our additional week this time around just adds more sparkle to a season already filled with luster.”
Del Mar racetrack 2024 fall season
• Dates: Oct. 31-Dec. 1
• Location: Via de la Valle and Jimmy Durante Boulevard
• Post time: 12:30 p.m.; special post times-11:35 a.m. Breeders’ Cup Friday (Nov. 1), 10:05 a.m. Breeders’ Cup Saturday (Nov. 2)
• General Admission: Daily-$6.50, Diamond Club-$3; free for 17 and younger and active duty/retired military personnel; Breeders’ Cup (Nov. 1-2): Pre-purchased tickets only, breederscup.com
• Parking: General-$10, Valet-$25; Breeders’ Cup (Nov. 1-2): Pre-purchased passes only
• Information: (858) 755-1141, dmtc.com
