Del Mar sets opening-day record for handle
DEL MAR, Calif. -- A limited sell-out crowd of 21,680 contributed to an opening-day record all-sources handle of $23,556,047 on Friday’s inaugural program of the Del Mar summer meeting.
The all-sources handle figure, which includes ontrack, simulcast, and account wagering sources, surpassed the previous record of $21.3 million set in 2021.
The 10-race program was conducted before an enthusiastic crowd larger than the limited audience of 15,784 that attended the opening day of the 2021 summer meeting. At that time, the track was under some pandemic-related restrictions that forced customers to buy seats in advance.
Friday’s opening day was held without such restrictions, but track officials opted to limit the audience in an effort to ensure a better experience for customers in making bets, moving around, or getting drinks or food.
The ontrack audience was less than half of the all-time opening day crowd of 47,339 in 2012, a day with a boisterous audience, but an afternoon when customer comforts were in short supply.
Friday’s crowd reflected the typical mix of folks taking a low-key approach to a day of racing in shorts and flip-flops as well as men and women dressed to impress, many in all styles of hats.
On the track, Juan Hernandez led all jockeys with three wins. Hernandez was the leading rider at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting that ended in June. There were 10 winning trainers on Friday.
The audience, and the cheers they gave the runners through the stretch, were a dramatic change from opening day at the 2020 summer meeting, when racing was conducted without spectators in the early months of the pandemic.
Friday’s crowd will be one of the larger audiences of the 31-day summer season that continues through Sept. 11.