Michelle Yu at Daybreak at Del Mar
At Del Mar, dawn enthusiasts wave good morning to horses and riders trackside as Michelle Yu puts her knowledge of the sport out on full display every Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Yu answers questions and gives people an up-close look at morning activity at the track.
Yu is a horse person at heart. It helps that her husband, trainer Ryan Hanson, has taught her more about the intimacy between a horse, owners and, of course, their trainer. Her main profession being an on-air commentator makes her perfect for the informational and entertainment breakfast show of “Daybreak at Del Mar.” Jeff Richet, her partner in identifying horses during workout, adds: “She is really enthusiastic about doing it and always has something relevant to say.”
“I feel like it is the only opportunity some people have to come to the horse races,” Yu says about “Daybreak.” “This is their gateway. If it’s not fun and educational, why would they come?” Yu goes on to express that some who come are themselves owners of racehorses.
“I try to run it as educational and entertaining because I want people to come back,” she explains.
An example of her determination is a morning where a patron had asked a hard-hitting question that she didn’t have the answer to. The “Daybreak” group hunted down someone who could answer it: Joe Harper, the CEO of Del Mar, who occasionally sits-in on the morning workouts.
Yu goes on: “I will do what I can to answer (any) question because education is going to be the pavement to people being into racing.” She announces to the crowd that she doesn’t know of a track that goes so in depth in a morning show like the one at Del Mar. Turning to face Harper a unanimous “Thanks Joe” rings out. Harper says he enjoys the conversations Yu and the patrons have during “Daybreak.”
“Daybreak” began with ex-jockey Jeff Bloom being recruited in 2001 to start a morning sit-in for the average horse player to watch the workouts of these top-bred athletes. Bloom had experience in broadcasting, handicapping and riding for nine years as a jock; he was the perfect fit for the gig. An old pal of his from high school who was also familiar with handicapping horses, Jeff Richert, was roped in to help identify horses so Bloom could be more informative for patrons.
Richert explains: “The trainers are supposed to identify who is working ahead of time. They have multiple horses, so the clockers will record the works and then they’ll go through the process of identifying them. This is everyday.” The job of a clocker is no easy work. Most mornings the average number of workers on the track are anywhere from 100 to 250 horses. In other words, a lot to keep track of.
So when a horse set hooves on the track, Richert would radio down to Bloom who sat trackside with patrons as Richert sat on the roof with the clockers. He describes his experience working in the racing industry as “a fan of the theatre that got to go backstage.” The start for him was “Daybreak,” now he works with Michele Yu who he says he has a lot of respect for. “Nowadays the names of horses going to workout are in a group chat that Michelle is a part of,” Richert says. It helps as well that she can identify horses just as well as a clocker.
“The great thing about her is she can fill in whatever amount of time (is needed) like a radio announcer taking over a microphone,” he notes. “She always has something relevant to say.”
In between workouts the track needs to be raked and groomed for the next workers or joggers who are coming out. After all, Del Mar has close to 1,850 horses that stay on grounds during the season, so one can imagine the numbers that come out on a daily basis for training. When the tractors take to the track, Yu uses this as a time to answer questions, tell stories, or mention the donuts and coffee available.
Morning works are exciting not only for yourself but for the exercise riders and jockeys, too. Riders wake up before dawn to meet trainers and their rides, and as thrilling as it is to put your feet in the stirrups aboard a Thoroughbred, it can be an extra ray of sunshine to see kids and families wave ‘Hello’ in the morning fog.
How Yu came across the job is another story. “Luck is the short version. I was really into horse racing, but I didn’t have any family connections,” she recalled. She says that her first job was at a bar near a horse track where handicappers would stop by. She liked what she heard and started handicapping as well. One individual had connections with TVG (now Fanduel), and eventually she made her way to becoming an on-air handicapper.
“I have been really fortunate to be able to work for all the big letters (stations) at some point” she says. She has also taken the opportunities of working the Saudi Cup, the Breeders’ Cup and at Royal Ascot. “It’s so amazing all the places that you get to go,” she says. “I think pivotal to doing what I’ve done is being married to a trainer”. Hanson, a fourth generation horseman, taught her what it’s like to be “breathing your horses every single day.”
When asked why she continues to do “Daybreak” with all the other responsibilities that come with being an on-air handicapper, as well as being a mother of two, she says no matter how hard the question is, she doesn’t sugar coat the answer, she tells it like it is. “If those people come into a position where ‘Maybe I wanna be an owner, or a partner,’ I want them to be really equipped with what to expect so they’re not disappointed.”
She continues to do the job because she loves it and she wants to continue to educate others on racing. “By answering their questions in an open and friendly manner, which I hope that I express to everybody, is really one of the most important things we can have in horse racing” she offers. “I am the type of person where, if someone comes up to me and says ‘Awe, I would really love to pet a horse,’ I’m like ‘Get in my car, let’s go to the barn.’ I will introduce you to whomever you want to be introduced to. I want racing to be accessible. I'm going to do that to the best of my availability.”
There may be no hand book for this unique job but having a compassionate yet straight-forward person is definitely a starting point. At the end of this particular “Daybreak,” a couple of women came up to thank Yu for answering all the “silly” questions and for the insight she brings in the morning not only about the horses but also the riders. They had brought in their very own morning mimosas and enjoyed every minute.
Starting at 7:30 a.m. in the middle of daily workouts, there is no admission for “Daybreak” required and the parking and the coffee are also free. Breakfast items can be purchased for what surely is San Diego’s most unique morning gathering. It’s all a delight as the sun breaks through the cloud banks and the Thoroughbreds start their morning routines. Only three more weekends of “Daybreak” are left for this summer meet at Del Mar. Next weekend for the fun is August 23 and 24 for the early birds!