Del Mar Opens For 2013 Summer Meet

With the end of the Spring meet at Betfair Hollywood Park (and the final spring of racing at the historic track) Southern California thoroughbred action switches to Del Mar racetrack at San Diego starting July 17, 2013. Founded in 1937 by actor Bing Crosby and a group of his Hollywood friends, Del Mar rocketed to fame the next season when it hosted a $25,000 winner-take-all match race between Ligaroti and the legendary Seabiscuit. The race became the first to be broadcast on national radio, with Seabiscuit winning by a nose.

Five stakes give runners a Breeders' Cup chance

The 37-day Summer meet at Del Mar includes 43 stakes races, seven of which are Grade I events, and five of which are ‘Win and You’re In’ events for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The first stakes race is on opening day, with the $100,000 Oceanside, one mile on the Jimmy Durante turf course. The first graded-stakes event is the $300,000 Grade I Eddie Read at 1 1/8 miles on the turf on July 20, 2013. Del Mar retains its Hollywood connection with the Grade I Bing Crosby and the Grade II Pat O’Brien later in the meet.

TVG Pacific Classic offers million-dollar purse

The highlight of the calendar will be August 25, 2013, with the $1,000,000 Grade I TVG Pacific Classic for three-year-olds and up, 1 ¼ miles on the Polytrack, where the winner gains entry to the Breeders’ Cup Classic.  In 1991, the inaugural Pacific Classic was claimed by Hall of Famer Best Pal, one of 17 stakes victories during his career. In 2003, Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win a million-dollar race winning the Classic aboard Candy Ride. Last year Dullahan was the winner in race-record time, following up on his third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.