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Del Mar Records Strong Across the Board Gains

The first half of Del Mar's 83rd summer season has been highlighted by safe racing, full fields and sizeable increases in wagering and on-track attendance.

Fueled by record California purses of over $800,000 per day, field size has averaged 9.90 for turf races and 8.83 for main track events. Together, they combine for a nation leading 9.30 horses per contest, well above last year's average of 8.45. Through the first 15 days of the summer season, total wagering is $297,044,168 for a daily average of $19,802,945, an increase of 6.7% from 2021. On-track handle of $25,580,826 represents growth of 12.7% from last year's figures. Out-of-state numbers registered at $152,542,303, up 8.2% from 2021.

Total on-track attendance of 155,917 through 15 days is a substantial increase of 24% from last year over the same time period.

“After four weeks we couldn't be more pleased with our results,” said Tom Robbins, Del Mar's Executive Vice President of Racing. “Horsemen and women's participation has been outstanding as we continue to strive to present safe and competitive racing at the highest level. We hope all our stakeholders' efforts have led to greater customer satisfaction and appreciation.”

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‘Del Mar Was Del Mar Again’: Record Wagering, Return Of Fans Highlight Summer Season

Record wagering and highly competitive, quality racing highlighted Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's eight-week summer race meet which concluded its 31-day stand on Labor Day, Sept. 6, in Del Mar, Calif.

The 82nd summer season at the seaside oval welcomed back racing fans who participated enthusiastically to help set a Del Mar record for daily average wagering of $18.38 million, the highest in the track's long history. Top-of-the-line racing flowed daily with a highly competitive jockey colony and a deeply experienced training corps putting on a show each afternoon that was enhanced by some of the sweetest weather Del Mar has experienced in many seasons.

“Terrific, simply terrific,” said Del Mar CEO Joe Harper. “We had our fans come back this year and we put on a show of shows for them. The racing was first-rate, the wagering was over the moon and Del Mar was Del Mar again in all its glory. Special, very special.”

The handle numbers raced past an impressive 2020 racing season when “stuck at home” horse players went all out and set a record for daily average handle at $17.32 million. The total handle for the 2021 meet was $569.98 million for 31 days of racing. The 2020 total handle – for 27 days of racing – was $467.60 million.

Field size, often a key driver of wagering, improved as well. In 2020, the track had an exceptional 8.36 horses per race, one of the best marks in the country. In 2021 – running four more days this year than last (31 vs. 27) – that number rose to 8.45.

“Our horsemen and horsewomen were excellent in responding to the goals we set out to bolster our Southern California horse population,” said Del Mar executive vice president of racing Tom Robbins. “We substantially increased purses and incentive bonuses and they replied in fine fashion. When you realize that other meets across the country are struggling with horse population, we feel we're fortunate to receive the strong participation form owners and trainers coming. Our core racing product was excellent.”

The track's popular “Ship & Win” program in its 11th season offered its highest engagement bonus at $4,000 in addition to 50% and 40% purse supplements. It attracted 181 horses from across the country – as opposed to 104 in 2020 – with the majority of them owned and trained by Southern Californians.

Racing fans got to see some stellar performances by potential champions across the summer. Old pro United took down the Eddie Read Stakes; Shedaresthedevil sparkled in the Clement L. Hirsch; Princess Grace took the Yellow Ribbon handily; Astronaut, Mo Forza and Going Global bested their competition on the turf course. Tripoli rose to the top in the TVG Pacific Classic. Medina Spirit made his return to racing memorable. Flightline wowed the crowd on closing weekend. Grace Adler and Pinehurst proved to be juvenile stars.

“Another amazing summer in the books”, said Thoroughbred Owners of California, Gary Fenton. “A big thank you to DMTC. After months of planning and hard work they hit a grand slam for us and continue to provide our membership with an incredible racing experience.”

Del Mar will return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 3 for the start of its 15-day Bing Crosby Season which this year will feature the 38th running of the Breeders' Cup Championships on Friday, November 5 and Saturday, November 6.

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Pacific Classic Purse Returns To $1 Million; Del Mar Derby Boosted To $250,000

Building on its pre-meet enhancements and the sparkling success of its current racing season, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club today announced a pair of major increases to key stakes races on its 2021 schedule.

The Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, the shore track's centerpiece since it was introduced in 1991, has been raised back to its original level of $1,000,000 for its Aug. 21 renewal. Additionally, the track's conclusion to its 3-year-old grass series – the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby slated for September 4 – has had its purse increased to $250,000 for its 77th edition.

The TVG Pacific Classic was scheduled to be presented this year for the 31st time with a purse of $750,000, which was an increase from its COVID-affected 2020 running when the mile and one quarter was dropped to $500,000. The Del Mar Derby ran with a $200,000 purse in 2020 and was designated to do so again this year prior to this current boost for the nine-furlong turf test.

Both raises put the races on equal footing with their 2019 levels. Prior to the meet, Del Mar had increased the values of virtually all of its other stakes from 2020 to equivalent – or in some cases higher – purse standards than the ones that existed in 2019.

“We had fairly aggressive projections going into the meet and I'm pleased to say our business has exceeded those numbers,” said Tom Robbins, a Del Mar executive vice president and its director of racing and industry relations. “We are thrilled to restore our signature race back to its $1 million level, where it had been and certainly belongs.”

Since 2010, Del Mar has joined with its broadcast partner TVG to augment the TVG Pacific Classic and keep it at the forefront of major races nationally.

“We have a spectacular partnership with Del Mar and the TOC and our team at TVG is very excited that our sponsorship of the Pacific Classic is one of the reasons for this purse increase,” said Kevin Grigsby, SVP and executive producer of TVG & FanDuel. “Over the last decade TVG has become one of the largest sponsors of horse racing in the U.S. Along with our investments in distribution and technology, it is part of our commitment to reinvest in the sport.”

The track always works in accord with the Thoroughbred Owners of California in setting and maintaining both its stakes schedule and its overall purse structure. Their chairman of the board, Gary Fenton, addressed the stakes purse increases:

“Thanks to our members, horsemen and horsewomen and the hard work from DMTC we're off to a tremendous start. With added purse account funds we felt returning all stakes, such as Del Mar's signature race, back to their pre-COVID purse levels was appropriate. The momentum of continued purse increases in 2021 with hopefully more to come in 2022 is a great sign of the health of Southern California racing.”

The TVG Pacific Classic is a “Win and You're In” race entitling its champion a guaranteed spot in this year's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic, a race that will be run at a mile and a quarter at Del Mar on Saturday, Nov. 6.

The Del Mar Derby follows the Oceanside Stakes and the Grade 3 La Jolla Stakes to make up the longstanding trio of turf test for soph runners at the seaside oval. The La Jolla will be run on Sunday, August 8.

Del Mar's 82nd season will continue to race on a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule through to its closing day, Labor Day Monday, Sept. 6.

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Major Boost Puts Del Mar Summer Purses Over $700,000 Daily; Ship And Win Bonuses Doubled

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., will implement a major purse increase for its upcoming summer race meeting opening on Saturday, July 17, including substantial increases in all overnight purses and record incentives for owners and trainers that ship out-of-state horses to race at Del Mar through its popular “Ship and Win” program, track officials have announced.

Average daily overnight purses for the 2021 season will be increased by over 30% as compared to 2019 levels during which the track operated an uninterrupted racing schedule. With the increases announced today, Del Mar expects to average more than $700,000 a day in purses this summer.

The “Ship and Win” program for horses entering from outside California is doubling both its participation fee for owners (from $2,000 to $4,000) and its purse bonus from 20% to 40% for all eligible races. The purse bonus will be upped to 50% for dirt races in the “Ship and Win” program.

“We've got some real momentum in California as we prepare for the 2021 season and, based on the inquiries we're receiving, owners and trainers are taking notice,” said Del Mar's executive vice president for racing, Tom Robbins. “Our partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, TVG and The Stronach Group has us on track for one of the most lucrative seasons in Del Mar history, which will be a boost for California racing and help set the stage for us to host the Breeders' Cup here again in November.”

The 2021 purse enhancements are due in part to a partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, FanDuel Group's TVG horse racing television network and advance-deposit wagering platform and The Stronach Group's 1/ST Racing. The multi-party agreement, announced earlier this year, is expected to inject up to $15 million into California Thoroughbred purses and programs over the next two years.

In addition, Del Mar's total handle for its 2020 racing seasons was well above initial projections – despite fans not being allowed onsite – adding funding to the purse increases for the upcoming live racing season.

Among the increases for overnights, maiden special weight races will jump from $55,000 during the 2020 summer meet to $70,000 this summer, maiden-claiming $20,000 races rise from $19,000 last year to $25,000 and open $40,000 claiming races purses will increase from $37,000 to $47,000.

As an example of how these increases affect the “Ship and Win” program, a maiden special weight race on the main track this summer will carry a purse of $105,000 ($70,000 plus a 50% bonus) plus a $4,000 starter bonus for out of state horses that qualify for the program.

“Anticipation for Del Mar's race meetings is always high among horsemen but it will be even more so this year with the increased purse structure announced today,” said Gary Fenton, chairman of the TOC. “We look forward to continuing our work with the state's key racing stakeholders to further strengthen California's year-round racing program.”

Track officials also noted that Del Mar's 2021 stakes schedule will be released in the coming weeks and that purse levels will be raised for several of its summer stakes races.

Del Mar will offer a 31-day summer racing season this year after racing 27 days in 2020. It will open with Saturday and Sunday cards (July 17-18), then switch to a Thursday through Sunday schedule for the balance of the meet. The summer season will close, as usual, on Labor Day, Monday, September 6.

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