Del Mar blows away former opening-day handle record
DEL MAR, Calif. - The audience was restricted, but betting money flowed freely on Friday’s opening day of the Del Mar summer season.
All-sources handle, including satellite locations and account wagering nationwide, reached an opening day record of $21,339,643 for the 10-race program, well above the previous mark of $16.5 million set on opening day in 2016. All-sources handle on opening day last year was $15.02 million on a program held without an ontrack crowd because of the pandemic.
Friday’s attendance of 15,874 was restricted to racegoers required to book seats in advance. There were no walk-up sales that in the past had fueled massive opening day crowds, including an all-time track record of 47,339 in 2012.
Friday, racing fans arrived early, some dressed as if they came from the adjacent beach. Others were attired for the turf club, or at least wishing they had reservations for the turf club.
Regardless of apparel, opening day drew an enthusiastic crowd, the first general audience to visit the popular seaside track north of San Diego since Thanksgiving weekend in 2019. The pandemic eliminated customers from attending in 2020, largely restricting audiences to owners with horses racing on a given day. The crowd seldom exceeded more than a few hundred on any program in 2020.
With reduced capacity on Friday, there were smaller crowds around the paddock and on the concourse and mezzanine areas often packed on past opening days. Friday, lines for bets were noticeably smaller, but not much shorter for drinks in some places.
Racegoers were not the only people in attendance for the first time since 2019. Trevor Denman, the track’s popular announcer, did not work the summer or autumn meetings in 2020, making Friday’s opening day the first time he described the action since Thanksgiving weekend in 2019.
“I haven’t been this wound up in a long time,” Denman said. “People showing up, the crowd makes the atmosphere.”
On the track, the 10 races drew 99 runners, ranging from seven starters in the seventh race to two 12-horse fields. Abel Cedillo was the only rider to win twice, including the lone stakes on the card – the $103,500 Oceanside Stakes on 12-1 Flashiest. There were 10 winning trainers.