Del Mar News & Announcements

 “Ship and Win,” the highly successful program to lure out-of-state horses to the summer Del Mar meeting, will return for the third straight season with an additional boost in incentives offered to horsemen who bring new runners to the seaside oval.

The arrangement that offers a $1,000 direct payment and purse boosts to owners bringing fresh stock to the track’s 37-day session has proven solidly popular in the past two seasons and Del Mar – along with its Thoroughbred Owners of California partner – envision even better things for 2013.

Del Mar’s 74th race meeting will be presented from Wednesday, July 17 to Wednesday, September 4. 

When the “Ship and Win” program was first offered in 2011, the $1,000 direct payment was supplemented by a 20% bonus on top of purse monies earned in a new runner’s first local start. It drew 107 out-of-staters. Last year that first-start purse bonus was raised to 25% and the program attracted 137 additional starters. This year the bonus has been raised once more to 33 1/3% and hopes are that a corresponding increase in new starters again will occur.

“At the racetrack they’ll tell you to stick with a winner,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s executive vice president for racing Tom Robbins, “and this simple plan has been an absolute winner. Through it we not only are encouraging owners and trainers from around North America to consider running with us this summer, we’re prodding our local owners and trainers to use their sources and resources to bring new faces into the mix.”

Despite field size diminishing at virtually every race meeting in the country of late, Del Mar has been able to show a steady rise in starters over the past two years, much of it directly attributed to “Ship and Win” runners. The average field size per race in 2010 at the shore track was 8.2; in 2011 that number was up to 8.4, and in 2012 it climbed to 8.7.

Read the entire story here.

Saturday, April 20th, 2013

Play Del Mar's BHP Online Handicapping Challenge

Contest participants can place mock wagers on one designated race per day during the course of the Betfair Hollywood Park spring meet, April 24, through July 14, 2013. We may, from time to time, add a Bonus Race to the contest menu -- think Triple Crown.)

Only Win, Place and Show wagers are available. Users may place as many wagers in as many different combinations in as many different values as possible up to a total of $100 per race. THERE IS A PAYOFF ODDS CAP OF 35-TO-1 ON ALL WAGERS.

Participants may change or cancel their plays at any time up to the closing time of the race - generally the published scheduled post time.

Players may cancel or modify their wager via the "wager window" or "basic betting page" by selecting the race they would like to modify from the contest overview page and clicking the "cancel wager" link.

Note that no currency will ever change hands. This is "for fun" only and any wagers accepted in the contest are for contest participation only. They do not constitute a valid claim to any actual wagering pools whatsoever. Standings reflect the players' NET – "winnings" less amount "wagered."

There are no big prizes during Del Mar's off-season contests, just the chance to compare your skills with some of the top handicappers in the United States and around the world -- and hone your handicapping skills for the REAL Del Mar Online Handicapping Challenge during this summer's live meet.

Sign up to play the contest using your existing Del Mar Online profile. If you don't have an online profile, or need to update yours, click here.

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013

Del Mar Announces 2013 Stakes Schedule

Del Mar will present 43 stakes races worth $7,800,000 during its 2013 summer race meeting, as well as record overnight purses that will be California’s highest and among America’s richest at well over $650,000 per day.

The seaside track’s 74th summer season will get underway on Wednesday, July 17 and run through Wednesday, September 4 for a total of 37 racing days.

Headlining the 33 “advertised” stakes on the shore oval’s ledger will be the 23rd edition of the $1,000,000 TVG Pacific Classic, a mile and one-quarter test that carries Grade I status and will anchor a stakes tripleheader on Sunday, August 25.

Leading the way on the track’s best-ever overnight purse schedule is the $85,000 prize for a moneyed allowance race, a $75,000 pot for straight maidens and a $68,000 purse for $62,500 claimers.

Besides its 33 major stakes, Del Mar also will offer 10 overnight stakes with purses boosted to a record level of $90,000 each.

Read the rest of the story here.

Tuesday, January 15th, 2013

2013 Reserved Seats and Tables Available May 10

The sale of Reserved Seats, Admissions and Trackside Tables on dates other than Opening Day and Pacific Classic Day will begin online at 10:00 AM PDT, Friday, May 10 in the Del Mar Online Ticket Office.

With the continued popularity of our three Trackside Restaurants (Clubhouse Terrace, Stretch Run Grill and Cafe del Sol), this season we will once again conduct a random drawing to fill table requests for Opening Day and Pacific Classic Day.

If you would like to purchase a table for Opening Day, Wednesday, July 17, or Pacific Classic Day, Sunday August 25, you must enter the random drawing online. Applications will only be accepted from 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) on Monday, April 8, through 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10.  There is no fee to enter the drawing.  Each drawing winner will be able to purchase one table. Most tables seat a maximum of four however a few two person tables will be available.  Opening Day four person tables are $200 and two person tables are $100, Pacific Classic Day four person tables are $150 and two person tables are $75.  Track admission is an extra charge and may be purchased at the same time.  Table locations are drawn randomly and may not be changed.  

Tuesday, January 15th, 2013

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Get on the spot notifications about Del Mar's 2013 season, July 7-September 4, play handicapping contests and take part in our lively Online Racing Community with a My Del Mar Profile.

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