SAN DIEGO | SPORTING EVENTS
Del Mar racetrack: A day at the races
At the laid-back track, you can come home a winner without even placing a bet.
Del Mar
From Del Mar's upper grandstand levels, you can see the glistening Pacific. During turf races, you can marvel from the infield at the grace of the Thoroughbreds racing toward you, the afternoon sunlight bringing out every sparkle in the jockeys' colorful silks.
Del Mar's many lovely sights are a big reason the coastal track has the highest average daily attendance (16,719 last year) of any California track, almost double that of second-place Santa Anita.
For many, however, there's no lovelier sight than watching their horse cross the finish line first. And though I was at Del Mar to find ways to win without ever placing a bet, for this race I couldn't resist. Seven Nation Army -- also a song by one of my favorite groups, the White Stripes -- finished first in a one-length victory that was a beauty to behold. I stayed over a second day at Del Mar so I could bet the full card.
But as the track prepares to open its season Wednesday, this story's original proposition holds: You can win without ever placing a bet at laid-back Del Mar.
Laid back?
That's not something you associate with racetracks, but Del Mar's small-town, coastal setting puts you in a relaxed mood as soon as you step onto the grounds.
My favorite description of the track's easygoing atmosphere came from the late Eddie Read, the track's longtime publicist. At Del Mar, he said, "nobody's in a hurry except the horses."
CELEBRITY PLAYGROUND
The slogan for the Del Mar track is "where the turf meets the surf," a line from a
Crosby was the guiding force behind the opening of the track in 1937, and the tune captures nicely the atmosphere Read was talking about:
Take a plane, take a train, take a car
There's a smile on every face
And a winner in every race
Where the turf meets the surf at Del Mar.
The track, with its handsome Spanish Mission-style architecture, is about 100 miles south of Los Angeles, and you can take a train -- from downtown Union Station or a few Orange County stops -- to nearby Solana Beach, where a double-deck bus takes you on to the track. If you prefer to drive, it's a little more than two hours on a good traffic day.
For the adventurous who don't require much sleep, leave early enough to get to Del Mar in time for the workouts, which run from sunrise to around 9 a.m. You might even see stakes winners, such as Lava Man, exercising on the track's $8-million Polytrack surface, which was installed last year.
On Saturdays and Sundays, there's a buffet ($9.95) during the workouts. The food is plain, but an announcer points out famous horses and answers questions.
After that, explore some of the track's history and charms. There are many large, vintage photographs of the early days in and around O'Brien's Pub, which was named after one of Crosby's cohorts, actor Pat O'Brien. You'll see shots of Crosby,
To add to the resort feel, there's a playground in the infield for children, and free concerts, featuring contemporary bands aimed at the under-35 crowd, are held after the final race on Fridays.
Since the first race starts at 2 p.m. (4 on some Fridays), there's plenty of time to go off-track for lunch. One of my favorite spots is Fidel's Little Mexico, a tasty, family-style restaurant in Solana Beach.
But you'll want to be back at the track at least 30 minutes before the first race for some homework that may help you get into the spirit of the day.
THE POSSIBILITIES
The first thing to do at the track is pick up a program, which is free with admission and lists the horses and jockeys in each race. Also, buy a Daily Racing Form ($4.50), sold at a stand near the entrance. The form lists each horse's racing history as well as the opinions of handicappers about each race.
Why care what the handicappers say if you aren't betting? Reading about their selections helps you appreciate the drama of each race.
It's fun to see how the handicappers' various scenarios play out. Does that front-runner really have the speed to go start to finish? What about that come-from-behind horse that is dropping in class and that another handicapper says is his "sleeper" of the day?
Brad Free, a star handicapper for the Racing Form, says the possibilities in almost every race are endless, which means there is no such thing as a sure winner in a sport where the favorites win only around 25% to 30% of the time.
The next stop is the outdoor paddock area where, about 20 minutes before the start of each race, the horses gather with their jockeys, trainers and owners for a ritual that is the equivalent of opening day in baseball. Everyone is filled with optimism as the horses begin their march to the starting gate.
Because Del Mar is one of the nation's top tracks, you'll often find many of the sport's most celebrated figures on hand -- jockeys such as Corey Nakatani and Garrett Gomez, trainers Doug O'Neill and Jeff Mullins, even celebrity owners such as composer
The paddock is also a great place to people-watch. The bettors crowd together, eagerly eyeing the horses, hoping to pick up some kind of clue before going to the betting window. What about those bandages on the horses' back legs? Is that a good sign or a bad one? And why is that horse sweating so much? What does that mean?
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