Declines as Del Mar Meet Concludes

California Chrome after winning the Pacific Classic | Benoit Photo

Del Mar Racetrack's summer meet concluded with year-over-year declines in average daily handle, average daily attendance and field size. A total of $465,285,525 was wagered during Del Mar's 39-day meet, good for a daily average of $11,930,398–a 1.8% decline on last year's corresponding figure of $12,151,518.

The California oval did post a one-day handle record on its Aug. 20 card, when $25,126,232 was wagered on an afternoon that featured a dominant victory by leading older horse California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) in the GI TVG Pacific Classic in front of a crowd of 24,155. Del Mar's previous one-day handle record was $24,667,351, set on Pacific Classic Day in 2007.

Total attendance was 524,439 for an average of 13,447, representing a 7.6% decline compared to last year's average of 14,558.

Average field size was also down, declining by 5.6% from 8.8 runners per race in 2015 to 8.31. Field size did increase markedly towards the end of the meet, however.

“Our owners, trainers and riders all rose up to make this another special summer at Del Mar,” Del Mar Thoroughbred Club president and general manager Joe Harper offered. “There were issues with many of the young horses fighting coughs and minor illnesses in the early portion of the meet, but we finished well with big fields in our last weeks, averaging more than 8.73 horses a race since Pacific Classic Day and over 9.34 horses a race this final week. The caliber of racing–especially among our stakes horses–was as good as I can ever remember here and racing fans had to be pleased by what we presented them throughout the meet.”

Jockeys Rafael Bejarano and Flavien Prat tied for leading jockey with 38 wins apiece–the first time there was a tie atop the rider standings at Del Mar since legends John Longden and Bill Shoemaker did the same in 1950.

Phil D'Amato earned his first Del Mar title and third consecutive meet title on the Southern California circuit. The longtime assistant to the late Mike Mitchell trained 23 winners at the stand–two clear of Peter Miller and three ahead of Richard Baltas.

Del Mar will hold its 15-day fall meet from Nov. 11 through Dec. 4.

 

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