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Del Mar Racetrack

Del Mar Racetrack is an American thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan, "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership including Bing Crosby, the actor Pat O'Brien, Jimmy Durante, and Charles S. Howard.

History and information

When Del Mar opened in 1937, Bing Crosby was at the gate to personally greet the fans. On August 12, 1938, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club hosted a $25,000 winner-take-all match race between Charles S. Howard's Seabiscuit and the Binglin Stable's colt, Ligaroti.

In an era when horse racing ranked second in popularity with Americans to Major League Baseball, the match race was much written and talked about and was the first nationwide broadcast of a thoroughbred race by NBC radio. In the race, Seabiscuit was ridden by jockey George Woolf and Ligaroti by Noel Richardson. In front of a record crowd that helped make the fledgling Del Mar race track a success, Seabiscuit won an exciting battle by a nose. By 1940, Del Mar became the summer playground for many Hollywood stars. Between 1942 and 1944 the facility was closed due to the Second World War.

The first Bing Crosby Handicap was held at Del Mar in 1946 and that same year the Sante Fe Railroad began offering a racetrack special bringing spectators, bettors and horses to Del Mar from Los Angeles. Throughout the late 1940s and 1950s the track became the Saratoga of the West for summer racing. The track had large purses for many stakes, over half of which were won by the legendary jockey, Bill Shoemaker.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s the track continued to offer high quality racing and continued to be one of the premier racetracks in the country. The track attempted to run a fall meet in the 1960s but later cancelled it after getting lackluster results. This allowed for the creation of the Oak Tree Racing Association.

Change marked the 1980s when the infield was opened to spectators and Trevor Denman became the voice of Del Mar. The track still offered the best summer racing in the West and continued to grow in purses, handle, and attendance.

In the 1990s the track underwent a major renovation. The grandstand of the Del Mar Fairgrounds was demolished and replaced. In 1991 the track ran its richest race to date, the $1,000,000 Grade One Pacific Classic. The race was won by an impressive three-year-old named Best Pal.

Into the new century the track continued to post records in handle and attendance and offered some of the greatest thoroughbred racing in America.

Opening day is a huge event at the track. Each year, the track opens their summer racing season in mid July to crowds upwards of 40,000 people. Del Mar Racetrack is the place to be and be seen on opening day. Locals and tourists pack the track half wearing beach attire and the other half dressed to the nines. Many women will be wearing stylish outfits and hats and the men will be dressed in sportjackets and suits. The first race of the meet on opening day runs at 2PM. Track announcer Trevor Denman will start each racing season with his trademark call, "and there's the Roar from the Del Mar crowd as the 2006 racing season is under way"