Few breeders and owners have defined an era as Calumet Farm did in the 1940s. What started as a Standardbred farm in the 1920s transitioned into a nursery for a long list of racing immortals in the 1930s.
Month: September 2022
Del Mar Summer Meet Ends With New Wagering Marks, Exemplary Safety Record
Spurred by strong support from horsemen and women from California and around the country, Del Mar set new records for average daily handle and field size during its 83rd summer season that concluded Sunday, Sept. 11.
The San Diego County track also continued its exemplary safety record for the fourth consecutive year. Del Mar reported no catastrophic injuries among its 2,688 starters in its 294 races during the 31-day season.
Average daily handle for the 31-day summer race meet was a record $18.69 million, an increase of 1.5% from last year's $18.41 million, the previous record. Total wagering for the meet increased to $579.24 million, compared to the $570.78 million wagered during the 2021 summer session.
On-track business increased over 2021. Average daily wagering of $1.52 million represented 4.8% growth over last year's $1.45 million. Total attendance of 278,702 resulted in a gain of 16.1% from 2021's total of 240,030.
Fueled by record California purses of over $800,000 per day, field size during the summer meet averaged 9.77 for turf races and 8.67 for main track events. Together they combined for a Del Mar record 9.14 horses per contest, well above last year's average of 8.45. The 9.14 mark puts the seaside track at the very pinnacle of all tracks in the country and has served as a great lure for horse players nationwide.
The highlight of the meeting was Flightline's tour de force performance in the TVG Pacific Classic when the undefeated 4-year-old dominated the $1 million race, the track's signature event, by nearly 20 lengths in an awe-inspiring display that led to a standing ovation by the fans on hand and accolades from the racing community throughout the country. Owned by Hronis Racing and partners, trained by John Sadler and ridden by Flavien Prat, Flightline is expected to make his next start in the rich Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland in November.
“Just an incredible meet on all levels,” said Joe Harper, Del Mar's chief executive officer. “All season long the racing was ultra-competitive and extremely safe. Our racing office, led by Tom Robbins and David Jerkens, was phenomenal. We're also very appreciative of the support we received from our fans and our players both here on track and all across the country.”
Seventy different trainers recorded wins at the summer meet, further evidence of how competitive the racing was this season.
The track's innovative “Ship & Win” program had its best season yet with 222 new runners shipping in to race at the shore oval, well ahead of last year's record 186 imports. The majority of those horses, which are primarily owned and trained by California stables, will compete at Los Alamitos, Santa Anita and Golden Gate, boosting field size throughout the state.
Del Mar's jockey championship was a runaway with last fall's leading rider, Juan Hernandez, picking it right back up and proving he belongs with the best of the best. The versatile 30-year-old captured a total of 49 races at the session, a full 22 winners ahead of runner-up Umberto Rispoli. The leading trainer title was a battle down to the very last day and it saw Hall of Famer Bob Baffert tie Phil D'Amato, each with 19 firsts. This was Baffert's eighth training title, but his first since 2003. It was D'Amato's fourth, counting his score in last fall's Bing Crosby meet. The stand's top owners were the trio of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, who won nine races at the meet (including closing day's Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity) and a total of $849,680 in purses.
“This meet is the culmination of a year-long plan to revitalize California racing and return it to its rightful place as one of the best circuits in America,” said Thoroughbred Owners of California chairman Gary Fenton. “A big thank you to our partners at DMTC and our members. Without owners there is no California racing and they continue to make a strong statement that Del Mar is their favorite place to be.”
Racing returns to Del Mar for the track's fall Bing Crosby meet from Nov. 11 through Dec. 4.
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Cave Rock Gives Baffert 16th Victory In Runhappy Del Mar Futurity
Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's heavy favorite Cave Rock showed blazing speed throughout Sunday at Del Mar to simply prove untouchable against eight rivals in the 75th edition of the Grade 1, $302,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity.
The son of the late champion Arrogate sped seven furlongs in 1:20.99 to establish a stakes record in the seven-panel headliner that shone brightest of 11 races on closing afternoon of the 31-day session. His time eclipsed the 1:21.29 mark established by juvenile champion Declan's Moon in 2004.
Juan Hernandez, the meet's leading rider, was aboard Cave Rock as they pulled away by 5 1/4 lengths at the end of Del Mar's championship race for 2-year-olds. The victory was yet another tour de force for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who was winning his 16th Del Mar Futurity, a standard that most assuredly will never be outdone.
Finishing second in the 2-year-old special was another Baffert runner, Havnameltdown, who also is owned by the Pegram-Watson-Weitman trio. He had 4 1/4 lengths on C R K Stable's Skinner.
The winner, who went off at 2-5, paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10 across the board. Havnameltdown returned $4.20 and $3.40, while Skinner paid $4.80 to show.
Cave Rock collected a winner's share of $180,000. He'd won his only other start – a straight maiden affair at Del Mar on August 13 — and now sports a bankroll of $228,000.
Havnameltdown earned $60,000 for running second in the dash meaning the trio of owners picked up a total of $240,000 for their share of the race's purse.
Cave Rock cut out wicked splits in the heat of :21.56, :43.65 and 1:08.55 en route to his record final time.
The victory was the 12th of the meet for Baffert with a 2-year-old, 10 of them in maiden special weight races and two in stakes. He wound up tying trainer Phil D'Amato for most wins at the meet with 19. It is his eighth training title at Del Mar, but his first since 2003.
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Cave Rock, winner) – “He's a good horse; very professional. And he's fast. He broke a step slow, but then he got right in gear and made the running. I tried to slow him down some, but he wasn't having it. So I just let him go on and do his thing. When we hit the quarter pole, I asked him and he changed leads and took off. He just wanted to go. He's something.”
MIKE SMITH (Havnameltdown, second) – “He's (Cave Rock) a beast. I gave myself a chance to be with him but he just took off.”
JIMMY BARNES (Assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, Cave Rock, winner) – “Very nice. Ran fast. Did exactly what he needed to do. Broke out of the gate good, no complications and just opened up. In these races you have to play the break and Juan (Hernandez) took advantage of it and never looked back. Look at the fractions, :21, :43, 1:08, 1:20. That's race horse time.”
FRACTIONS: :21.56 :43.65 1:08.55 1:20.99
(The final time is a stakes record. The previous mark was 1:21.29 set by 2-year-old champion Declan's Moon in 2004.)
The stakes win was the (meet leading) 12th of the session for rider Hernandez, but his first in the Del Mar Futurity. He now has 27 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the fifth of the meet for trainer Baffert and his (record) 16th in the Del Mar Futurity. He now has 152 stakes wins at Del Mar, far and away the most by any conditioner.
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‘He Had Plenty Left’: Packs A Wahlop Powers To Convincing Win In Del Mar Juvenile Turf
The father-son team of Jed and Tim Cohen, who race under the names of Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, respectively, threw a big punch Sunday with their colt Packs a Wahlop, who sat a pretty trip in second under Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, then powered away through the lane to win the $104,500 Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3) at the seaside track.
The gray son of Creative Cause was 4 1/4 lengths best at the end of the one mile test on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, covering the distance in 1:35.96. The winning trainer was Jeff Mullins.
Finishing second was Valiancer, who came from far back to finish ahead of the other Red Baron's and Rancho Temescal's runner Dandy Man Shines.
Don'tthinkjustdoit actually was second across the wire, but was disqualified and placed seventh for interference in the stretch.
Packs a Wahlop returned $18.
The winner earned $60,000 for his good work and now has earnings of $110,000 for his second win in his third start.
MIKE SMITH (Packs a Wahlop, winner)– “Jeff (trainer Mullins) and his crew did a great job getting this colt ready for this race. They were actually only going to run the other one (Valiancer) and this horse was doing, so good Jeff said we got to run them both. He's (Pack a Wahlop) training unbelievable and I came out and worked him every time, so I feel like I was a part of it. I didn't think they were going to beat this colt, not today anyway. Nice comfortable pace and he had plenty left. ”
JEFF MULLINS (Packs a Wahlop, winner) – “That was kind of the plan along. He showed speed going five-eighths; we figured he would be laying close somewhere in a comfortable position. Mike's worked him every time and he's had all the confidence in this horse, we all have. I was surprised he went off at 8-1.”
FRACTIONS: :23.00 :47.24 1:12.32 1:24.31 1:35.96
The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Smith, but his first in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. He now has 76 stakes wins at Del Mar, 11th best of all time.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Mullins, but his second (Dry Summer, 2012) in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. He now has 22 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are father and son Jed and Tim Cohen of Red Baron's Barn (Jed) and Rancho Temescal (Tim). Jed resides in Los Angeles, Tim in Del Mar.
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