Del Mar plans to open meet on a Thursday

Del Mar is planning to open its 2014 summer meeting on a Thursday instead the usual Wednesday, track president Joe Harper said earlier this week. The July 17 opening day will distance the race meeting from the San Diego County Fair, held from June 7 to July 6 on the same property,

A Thursday opening gives Del Mar an extra day to renovate the synthetic main track and turf course following the fair, prepare the grandstand for the race meeting, and allow horses more time to train on the surface. Harper said that track officials think giving horses an extra day to acclimate to the synthetic racing surface and to settle into the barn area “will be safer.”

“We’ll take as many days as we can,” he said.

In 1999, the track opened its meeting on a Thursday after the California Horse Racing Board mandated fewer racing days for California tracks. The policy lasted one year.

Del Mar ran 43 days in most years from 1970 through 2008 before eliminating Monday racing and going to a 37-day meeting in 2009. If the track opens the 2014 meeting on July 17, Harper said a Monday could be added to the schedule to reach 37 days.

“It’s not out of the question,” he said. “It’s something that we’ll chat about.”

Opening day has drawn crowds of 40,000 or more since 2005. Harper said a shift to a Thursday opening could have benefits. The Friday night programs during the season include concerts after the races, and they often draw strong crowds. When the track has opened on Wednesdays, the following day has had the lowest ontrack crowd of opening week.

“The one thing you lose is a slow day,” Harper said of a Thursday opener. “This way, we go from opening day right into Friday with a concert. It should work out pretty good.”