2021 Breeders' Cup: Del Mar has grown into role of host for racing's big day
DEL MAR, Calif. – Look at Del Mar, all grown up now. What was once a sleepy little track built by celebrities Bing Crosby and Pat O’Brien, with a grandstand that looked like it belonged at a county fair, has morphed in recent decades into a modern, major facility that ranks as one of the elite racetracks in the country.
How much have things changed over the years? So much so that the first time Steve Asmussen came here, in the summer of 1982, he was an apprentice jockey.
“Quite the place for a 16-year-old,” he said while watching his horses train Wednesday morning.
And so much so that after hosting a successful Breeders’ Cup in 2017, Del Mar was placed right back in the rotation. So here we are again for the second time, with likely more to come.
There are few places in the country where a post-position draw can be held outdoors in November, as occurred Monday. The consistent weather – overcast in the morning, burning off in the afternoon – guarantees a fast main track and firm turf course. There are great restaurants and hotels in the area, and the city of San Diego is less than a half-hour’s drive down Interstate 5. It’s pretty hard to beat, so don’t hurt yourself trying.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup, the 38th, commences Friday, with the five Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-olds closing out the 10-race card, followed by nine more Breeders’ Cup races to close a 12-race marathon Saturday. Yes, the Breeders’ Cup has changed a lot, too, over the years, inaugurated in 1984 as a one-day, seven-race event, now a two-day festival.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup offers a return to what comes close to normalcy these days after a pandemic-compromised event in 2020 at Keeneland, where significant limitations were placed on who could attend. Also new this year are rules that forbid the use of the anti-bleeding medication Lasix, not just in Breeders’ Cup races, but the entire cards Friday and Saturday.
The Friday card itself has been revised. The Juvenile used to be the final race of the day, with the obvious hook being that the early favorite for the following year’s Kentucky Derby is crowned, e.g. Essential Quality last year. This year, though, the day will end with the Juvenile Turf, which will crown the final leg of the pick five.
That sequence means the grass races will have a dirt race separating them.
The Juvenile Turf Sprint is up first. Averly Jane is the 5-2 favorite of both Jon White, who makes the official morning line at Del Mar, and David Aragona, who assigned prices for Daily Racing Form for the Friday Breeders’ Cup races.
Echo Zulu is the day’s shortest price, 4-5 with both White and Aragona in the Juvenile Fillies.
Pizza Bianca is the lukewarm 5-1 favorite with both White and Aragona in a wide-open Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Jack Christopher is the favorite for the Juvenile, 8-5 with Aragona, 9-5 with White.
And in the Juvenile Turf, White has Dubawi Legend favored at 4-1, while Aragona made Modern Games the favorite, also at 4-1.
Both Dubawi Legend and Modern Games are from England. They should have felt right at home with the foggy weather Wednesday morning. It’s a welcoming environment. Welcome back, to Del Mar.