Del Mar's racing season returns with hats, horses and high-stakes fun
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Horses run out of the gate at the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic race in Del Mar. Photo: Donald Miralle/Getty Images
Grab your extravagant hats and linen suits, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's 86th summer season is off to the races.
Why it matters: The soirees and horse races at the historic track are a San Diego summer staple, plus it's one of the only legal ways to bet on sports in California.
Driving the news: Friday is Opening Day — gates open at 11:30am and the first race starts at 2pm.
- Show off your style at the hats contest and the official After Pony Party at the Rancho Valencia Resort.
- The eight-week season runs through Sept. 7 with 31 race days and special trackside events like the Del Mar Beer Festival on Saturday, plus Uncorked Wine Fest and Tacos & Tequila Festival in August.
- Savory Sundays are new this year, featuring different local restaurants at the racetrack each week.
State of play: The $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 30 has the highest stakes, with the winner qualifying for a spot in the 2025 Breeders' Cup World Championships this fall.
- For the second year in a row, Del Mar is hosting the Breeders' Cup — the biggest horse racing event outside of the Triple Crown, and one of the richest with its $34 million in purses and awards.
- The lead-up to the Breeders' Cup will attract horses from across the country throughout the summer looking to get a feel for the track, Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens told the Union-Tribune. This year, Preakness star Journalism is expected to be one of them.
Between the lines: While the local races draw jockeys and horses from around the world, they also come with risk.
- Five horses died from racing or training injuries at Del Mar last year.
- Del Mar Racing said it's added more veterinary inspections, testing and a racetrack surface consultant to lower the injury rate, City News Service reported.
If you go: Opening day tickets are $73+, but daily tickets are typically $10 and free for kids and active military.
Fun fact: Del Mar is "Where the Turf Meets the Surf," a song by Bing Crosby, who co-founded the racetrack and greeted the first fan through the gates in 1937.