Having paid out five-of-six consolations for its Single Ticket Jackpot Pick Six throughout its Bing Crosby meet, Del Mar Racetrack only paid out for six-for-six combinations on closing day Sunday, sparking confusion and outrage among bettors on social media.
The Del Mar Pick Six payout structure was changed to the Single Ticket Jackpot variety before the start of the 15-day Bing Crosby meet, with 70% of each day's pool split among all winning combinations; 15% for five-of-six consolations; and 15% paid out in the event of a single winner (in addition to the 70% main section of the pool) or carried over into the next day's card. There was an $89,411 carryover into Sunday's mandatory payout Pick Six pool, with an additional $780,563 in new money added for a total of $869,974. There were 44 perfect tickets, each worth $15,660.40. There were consolations pay-offs for five-of-six for every other day of the meet in the cases of both single-ticket winners or multiple winners.
Due to the confusion, Del Mar released a statement Sunday night asking all bettors to hold their Pick Six tickets until Del Mar, tote provider AmTote and the California Horse Racing Board sorted through the matter.
On Monday, Del Mar released the following statement:
Beginning with its 2016 fall meeting, Del Mar instituted an enhanced Pick Six that included a Single Ticket Jackpot pool bonus for a unique (i.e., single) winning ticket.
Del Mar applied for the modification to its Pick Six under the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) rule 004-105G (“Pick n Pools”). Under that rule, there is a provision which designates payouts during a mandatory distribution date (in this case closing day). Under the ARCI rule, if there is not a unique ticket on a mandatory distribution day, the entire pool, including any carryover that might exist, shall be paid out to those who have selected the first-place finishers in the greatest number of races. Based upon the rule, since there were 44 tickets with six of six winners, there was no consolation payout in these circumstances.
While Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and its tote provider, AmTote, were following the ARCI rule, we regret any confusion surrounding the payout of the Pick Six pool on the mandatory distribution day and how the ARCI rule may have impacted our customers.
This was the second controversy to have impacted horseplayers during the Del Mar meeting. During the Nov. 26 running of the GIII Jimmy Durante S., foam drain covers blew onto the track, causing a number of competitors to alter course to avoid them. After a lengthy inquiry, stewards ruled that the incident did not affect the running of the race.
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