DEL MAR — The familiar sound of thundering hooves, roaring cheers and the crack of the starting gate returned July 21 to the Del Mar Racetrack for the highly-anticipated Opening Day of the 84th racing season.
Selling out for the third year in a row, this year’s Opening Day kicked off an eight-week racing season with a limited attendance of approximately 20,000, an intentionally smaller crowd than years past, which has improved visitors’ overall experience. (Previously, Opening Day at the seaside oval regularly drew a sell-out crowd of 44,000, filling the venue’s capacity.)
The stands buzzed with excitement upon the first post at 2 p.m., with the clamor growing to deafening levels as the riders came around the final turn onto the home stretch. American jockey Mike Smith’s first-place finish on thoroughbred Settecento elicited celebration among longtime racehorse owner Michael Bello and his family.
Connie Broge, a racetrack staple as smartly-dressed coordinator of the Winner’s Circle, said Smith’s win as a senior jockey was an exciting start to the day.
“I always say if Mike Smith doesn’t like a horse, he doesn’t ride it, and if he does ride it, put $2 on the win,” Broge said. “It’s always a thrill to win a race at Del Mar, and to win the first race of the first meet is awesome.”
While the 84th season offers many of the same betting offers that visitors have come to expect at the track, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club shook things up on Opening Day with its first-ever $1 million guarantee for a single-ticket Pick Six winner.
Visitors could pony up as little as 20 cents to take their chance at correctly guessing the winners of six races for the mandatory payout.
“The Opening Day Pick Six guarantee for $1 million will fire things up right away and we’re looking forward to another season of action aplenty over the course of the summer,” said Director of Mutuels Bill Navarro ahead of Opening Day.
In keeping with Opening Day tradition, spectators put their best foot forward in spiffy suits, elegant dresses and eye-grabbing hats. Over in the Plaza de Mexico, over 150 people participated in the Opening Day Hat Contest with towering fascinators made of flowers, Barbie dolls and all manner of materials.
However, Leslie Monroy of Spring Valley secured the Grand Prize with her pink headpiece in the shape of a horse, constructed of over 500 pink rose petals, 70 gold horses, and a long train of orchids. Monroy said the whole thing weighed around seven pounds.
Barbie-inspired outfits could also be seen at every turn. Jeff Carta of Orange County amazed fellow attendees with a light pink suit, hat and a beard fashioned into six sharp points.
Carta said this was his first time at Opening Day, although the race track holds a special place in his heart.
“I used to come here with my dad. We always shared this,” Carta said. “I mean, how do you beat it?”
The summer season continues with five upcoming four-day weekends, running Thursday through Sunday, a five-day week from Labor Day to Sept. 4, with a final three-day weekend running Sept. 8 to 10.
Tickets are available online at dmtc.com, along with race results and live streaming.
