Del Mar’s wagering menu comes with its usual full-range of betting options for 2017 and again is expected to attract some of the highest pools in racing. But additionally this year the track will include a special Pick Six bet sure to add extra buzz and further enhance one the foremost racing cards of the year, the $1-million TVG Pacific Classic Day on Saturday, August 19.
The 36-day racing season, which begins on Wednesday, July 19, will have 14 different types of wagers available to fans throughout the summer, starting with the traditional win, place and show bets and expanding out to several five- and six-horse combinations.
The new twist in the format comes in the presentation of a mandatory Pick Six payout that – instead of being offered only on closing day – also will be on the menu for TVG Pacific Classic Day, allowing for the track’s traditionally biggest wagering afternoon to grow bigger still with the potential of a huge payment – or payments – for those who invest in the popular Pick Six.
While new for the summer season, Del Mar initiated the “Single Ticket Jackpot” element to Southern California’s Pick Six wager last fall, setting up a separate distribution pool that could only be captured if one winning ticket existed on an individual day. This pool grew on its own, even as the regular Pick Six paid out winners and consolations on a daily basis. The idea was to build a potentially massive side pool, which in fact happened. Early in the track’s fall season, a single bettor swept the pot clean when hitting the “Jackpot” pool for a life-changing score of $1,041,696.
In the case of this year’s TVG Pacific Classic, the standard “mandatory payout” rules of closing days at all race meets in the state will be in effect. And a Pick Six winner – or winners – would share not only in the regular pool, but the “Jackpot” pool besides. Additionally, consolation winners also would share in the total pool (“Jackpot” included).
“The TVG Pacific Classic is two-thirds of the way through our meet,” noted Josh Rubinstein, a Del Mar executive vice president and its COO. “While there are no guarantees, our hope is that the ‘Single Ticket Jackpot’ pool will have grown to a sizeable amount by this time and our bettors will have the chance to go after a massive Pick Six payout on what figures to be a top-shelf racing card.”
Besides the Pick Six, another favorite multiple-race wager – the Pick 4 – will offer a $600,000 weekend guarantee, the largest of its kind in the country. The bet, which is presented on the day’s final four races and carries a .50¢ minimum, also provides a $300,000 guarantee on weekday cards. For the TVG Pacific Classic Day card, the Pick 4 guarantee rises to $1,000,000.
An additional “exotic” wager on the agenda is the .50¢ Players’ Pick 5, available on the day’s first five races and coming with a reduced takeout rate of 14%.
The full array of Del Mar bets is as follows: $2 win, place and show (all races); $1 Exacta (all); $2 Quinella (all); $1 Trifecta (all); $2 Rolling Doubles (all except last); $1 Rolling Pick 3 (all except last two); $1 Superfecta (.10¢ minimum – all); $1 Place Pick All (starts w/Race 1 or 2); $1 Super High 5 (last); $2 Pick Six (last six); .50¢ Players’ Pick 5 (first five), and .50¢ Pick 4 (last four).
Racing will be conducted on a Wednesday through Sunday basis throughout the stand with the lone exception being closing day, Monday, September 4, Labor Day. First post daily will be 2 p.m., with the exceptions of “Four O’Clock Fridays” when starting time shifts to 4 p.m. (except for the final two Fridays – 8/25 and 9/1 -- when first post will be 3:30 p.m.). Friday’s races run until sunset and are followed by the hugely popular Del Mar Concert Series.
To purchase Del Mar tickets, go to delmarracing.com