1. To Enter, Player Bankroll and Deposit:

   The Del Mar Summer Challenge (“Challenge”) is a “real money” wagering contest of skill conducted only on-track at Del Mar. Entry is confirmed by submitting a $6,000 deposit per entry, of which $4,000 is the live bankroll for wagering and $2,000 goes to the Challenge prize pool. At the conclusion of the Challenge, any dollar amounts remaining in the live bankroll, whether it grows to $30,000 or falls to $1,000, remains the property of the participant. Up to a maximum of two entries per person are allowed. The deadline to register for the Challenge is 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, July 27. It is recommended to contact chris@dmtc.com if you intend to participate but plan to make payment on or after Thursday, July 25, so your wagering card is ready upon arrival.

   Pay by credit card Click Here. 

   For other payment options: Contact chris@dmtc.com.

2. Format:

   Races: Challenge races on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 include all Del Mar live races. On Saturday, 11 races are expected and on Sunday, 11 races are expected.

   Wagers: THE ONLY WAGER TYPES PERMITTED ARE WIN, PLACE, SHOW, EXACTA, TRIFECTA and DOUBLE. For Challenge purposes, Double wagers count towards the race in which the wager was made, not when the wager is paid out. All other wager types are not permitted and will subject players to disqualification.

   CONTESTANTS MUST WAGER AT LEAST $400 PER RACE IN A TOTAL OF AT LEAST FOUR (4) RACES EACH DAY AND WAGER A MINIMUM TOTAL OF $4,000 DURING THE CHALLENGE. CONTESTANTS MAY WAGER ANY AMOUNT OF THEIR BANKROLL, INCLUDING WINNINGS, AT ANY TIME.

   Should a player fail to bet the required minimum number of races (4) at the minimum wager amount ($400 on four races each day plus $800 additional) required, the player will be disqualified from all prizes unless the tournament officials in their sole discretion determine that outside factors affected the player’s ability to wager the minimum amounts. There are no caps on payouts. The player with the highest Challenge score after the last Del Mar race on Sunday is the First Place winner.

3. Prizes: 100% of the total prize money pool will be returned in cash and prizes. The prizes will be finalized at the start of the contest and promoted to the participants.

   If 125 entries, $250,000 in prizes offered:

   Place	Cash Prize	Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC)	Additional
   1st	$85,000	2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry	2025 NHC Entry, Hotel & $557 travel stipend or $4,000 PCBC entry & $1,000 cash*
   2nd	$35,000	2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry	2025 NHC Entry, Hotel & $557 travel stipend or $4,000 PCBC entry & $1,000 cash*
   3rd	$10.000	2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry	2025 NHC Entry, Hotel & $557 travel stipend or $4,000 PCBC entry & $1,000 cash*
   4th	$3,000	2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry	2025 NHC Entry, Hotel & $557 travel stipend or $4,000 PCBC entry & $1,000 cash*
   5th	$3,000	2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry
   6th		2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry
   7th		2024 $10,000 BCBC Entry
   8th			2025 NHC Entry, Hotel & $557 travel stipend*
   9th			2025 NHC Entry, Hotel & $557 travel stipend*
   10th	$4,000
   11th	$3,000
   12th	$3,000
   Day One Leader			$4,000 PCBC Entry

    

   BCBC: Winners receive a $10,000 entry for the BCBC at Del Mar on November 1 and 2, 2024, will be awarded. BCBC entries are fully transferable to another person. There is no cash option.

   NHC: First through fourth and seventh place have a player choice of a NHC entry or $4,000 PCBC plus $1,000 cash. Eighth and ninth place finishers will receive NHC entries. Two NHC entries must be awarded. If two higher placings choose NHC, then eighth and/or ninth place finishers have an option to select NHC or $4,000 PCBC entry plus $1,000 cash. If two NHC entries are not awarded to first through fourth or seventh through ninth finishers, the next highest placing eligible NHC Tour member(s) will receive the NHC spot. If a NHC entry falls to tenth through twelfth place, that person may choose either their finishing position prize or a NHC entry. If a tenth through twelfth place finisher does select NHC, their finishing position prize will be substituted to the higher finisher from eighth and/or ninth that was not NHC eligible.

   Prior to the start of the Challenge, all participants that wish to compete for a NHC entry must be registered as current members of the NHC Tour, www.nhctour.com. This is an official NHC Tour event. NHC Tour points will be awarded in accordance with the official NHC Tour rules. NHC entry winners receive a 4 night stay at the Horseshoe Casino and $557 travel stipend to be included with the cash prize payment if applicable. If a winner of a NHC entry is receiving a 2nd entry into the NHC and has already received Las Vegas host hotel accommodations, a cash value substitute payment will be made.

   Pacific Classic Betting Challenge (PCBC): Winners receive a $4,000 entry into the August 31 PCBC at Del Mar or through TVG.com/4NJBETS. Del Mar entries are fully transferable to another person. There is no cash option or other alternative to the Del Mar credit. 

   Prizes are based on a projected field of 125 entries; a greater or lesser number of entries will result in corresponding increase or reduction in the cash prize money for 100% return in cash/prizes.

4. Challenge Bankroll / Placing Wagers: Each participant will be issued a player account wagering card used for all wagers. The card contains the “real money” bankroll of $4,000. Upon receipt of the player card, participant should test the card to verify it is working properly. If a player loses his/her card or the card is not working, the player should immediately report to Challenge officials to resolve the issue. All wagers must be placed through self-service machines, located throughout the facility. The self-service machines do not print out wagering vouchers. However, previous wagers can be reviewed on the self-service machines. Wagers will not be accepted through mutuel tellers. Players must place all wagers personally. No person shall directly or indirectly act as an intermediary, transmitter or agent in placing wagers for the player, unless expressly authorized by Challenge Officials. Official track rulings will apply to wagers and Challenge scoring is based on official mutuel payoffs at Del Mar. If a player wagers on a track other than Del Mar for purposes of the contest, the player will be subject to disqualification.

5. Advance Wagering: Advance wagering is not permitted unless prior express approval has been obtained by a Challenge Official. Wagers must be placed after the race prior has been declared official. This rule is designed to maintain an accurate leader-board. If a player needs to advance wager for any reason, please email chris@dmtc.com. Challenge Officials will decide if an advance wager will affect the integrity of the leader-board. All decisions of the Challenge Officials are final and penalties for violating this rule will be at the sole discretion of Challenge officials.

6. Scratches/Non-Starters: If a horse is scratched after a wager is placed, it is the player’s responsibility to change his/her selection prior to the race subject to all other Challenge wagering rules. If a player is unable to change his/her selection(s) due to a gate scratch or late scratch, DMTC Challenge officials will rule on a case by case basis whether the scratch prohibited the player from wagering the minimum amount of races or minimum Challenge total. The player may not be assessed a penalty for such particular action (but still may be subject to penalties in the future) for falling short of the Challenge wagering rules assuming he/she had placed wagers on the specific scratched horse and those wagers would have surpassed minimum per race requirements. No penalties will be assessed on wagers involving any horses ruled as non-starters by stewards. 

7. Ties: In the result of a tie, cash prize money will be divided equally among the players involved. If there is a tie for the last prize position that offers a BCBC or NHC/PCBC prize, the player with the most money wagered during the Challenge will be declared the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the most money wagered in the last Challenge race, then, most money wagered in the second to last race, etc., until a winner is declared.

8. Taxes and Withholding: For any wager that triggers tax withholding, the withholding amount will be automatically deducted from the player’s bankroll. For Challenge scoring purposes, withholding is added back into the player’s score. Liability for any and all federal or state taxes is solely the responsibility of prize winners.

9. Standings: A standings link will be emailed to entrants. Officials will endeavor to update the standings shortly after each race but various issues could delay the process. All standings are unofficial until the final results are audited. Players are encouraged to maintain an accurate record of their wagers and scoring.

10. Eligibility: A contestant may be asked to provide a photo id to determine age and/or identity. Players must be at least 18 years of age to participate in the Challenge and at least 21 years old to qualify for the NHC in Las Vegas. If a player is not 21 by the start of the NHC or unable to participate for any reason, the next highest finisher will take his/her place. The following are ineligible to participate: Licensed Trainers, employees of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) or any of their subsidiaries or members of the immediate families of the foregoing. Horse owners must declare ownership of their horses entered in any Challenge race to Challenge Officials before the first Del Mar race, send email to chris@dmtc.com. In races involving horse owners with a horse in any contest race, the horse owners must wager according to the California Horse Racing Board rules. No owner, authorized agent or trainer having a horse entered in a race shall wager on, or include in any wager, any other horse competing in such races to finish first regardless of whether such wager is "exotic" or "conventional”. 

11. Affidavits: Affidavits confirming compliance of all Challenge rules will be required of all players. All players acknowledge that if they enter the Challenge under a fraudulent name and/or Social Security number, they will be immediately disqualified from this and all future contests held by DMTC. Positive identification is required of all prizewinners. Each player permits and licenses to DMTC and its assignees the player’s likeness and images, pictures, photos, video, names and specific wagers made during the Challenge for promotional and other purposes.

12. Judging and Disputes: Each participant acknowledges and expressly agrees that DMTC, through its management, shall have the sole and exclusive right to interpret all questions and conditions in regard to the Challenge and all decisions of DMTC shall be final and binding and by entering each participant waives and forever relinquishes any and all claims for damage or recourse of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether legal, equitable or otherwise. DMTC reserves the right to amend the rules and change, alter or cancel the Challenge at any time for any reason. If for any reason there is a cancellation of races, the contest may be based on the races completed during the event or substitute races from another track may be assigned by Challenge Officials. All players must make their own selections independently of every other player in the contest. Participants are prohibited from collusion and/or any number of strategies that coordinate selections and/or combine entries with other players in a pattern that would be viewed as an unfair advantage. If DMTC concludes, in their sole and absolute discretion: (1) a player engaged in or attempted to engage in any act that compromises or could compromise the competitive integrity of the Challenge; (2) tampered with or attempted to tamper with the betting process and/or operation of the Challenge or any player; (3) acted in an unsportsmanlike manner or with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, coerce or harass any other player, then such player may be disqualified. 

13. Release and Waiver of Liability: By participating in the Challenge, participants agree to release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless Del Mar and each of their respective corporate affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all liability claims or actions of any kind whatsoever (however named or described) for injuries, death, damages or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with: (i) your participation in the Challenge; and (ii) the receipt, use or misuse of any prizes awarded in connection therewith, or while preparing for, participating in, and/or traveling to any Challenge-related activity, including those damages caused by any Released Party’s own negligence.  Del Mar expressly disclaims any responsibility or liability for injury or loss to any person or property relating to the delivery and/or subsequent use or misuse of any prizes awarded in connection with the Challenge.  In consideration for receipt of any prize awarded in connection with the Challenge, each individual hereby agrees and consents, without further authorization, compensation or remuneration of any kind, to the use of such individual’s name, photograph, likeness (including his/her voice), biographical information and statements concerning the Challenge, in any and all advertising, promotions and other publicity conducted by the Del Mar and each of their respective corporate affiliates.

Last updated 4/9/24