Saratoga stakes, track details and schedule of events
The Del Mar Summer Meet is one of the special events on the horse racing calendar. Del Mar Racetrack hosts a summer meet from late July through mid-September. Then the Bing Crosby Season and fall/winter meet resumes from mid-November through early December.
“Where the Turf meets the Surf” is the slogan for one of the most picturesque sporting venues in America. The Grandstand overlooks the Pacific Ocean with mesmerizing panoramic views all part of the experience. It combines glamour, sophistication, and the excitement of horse racing.
About Del Mar Racetrack
- Address: 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014
- Phone: (858) 755-1141
- Website: https://www.dmtc.com/
- Dirt Track: 1 mile oval
- Turf Track: 1 mile oval
- Racing Season: July to September, and November to December
- Twitter: @DelMarRacing
Del Mar Racetrack opened on July 3, 1937 and was founded by singer and actor Bing Crosby, who served as the tracks president for years. Del Mar soon became the “Playground of the Stars” as celebrities flocked to the seaside track during the summers.
Del Mar Racetrack is currently owned by the State of California and operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. The racetrack is located about 20 miles North of San Diego.
Racetrack information
Following opening weekend, races run Thursday through Sunday during the seven week summer meet. Del Mar has a later start time than most tracks with a 2 p.m. PT post for the first race. On Fridays, first post is 4 p.m. PT so fans have additional time to enjoy the festivities and events at and near the track.
The Del Mar main dirt track is exactly one mile long with additional chutes for 7/8 mile and 1 ¼ mile races. On the inside of the oval, there is a 7/8 mile turf course with chutes to allow races for 1 1/16th and 1 1/8 mile races.
Track announcer Trevor Denman will be back in the announcer’s booth for his 38th Del Mar summer season when the 2022 meet opens July 22. Denman, 69, has missed three of the last four meets and began cutting back his Southern California schedule in 2016.
Stake races
Del Mar hosts some of the biggest races of the season, and in 2021, Del Mar was host for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the second time. Following that record-breaking event, Del Mar put together an enhanced stakes schedule for its 2022 summer meet that features 39 stakes races with 23 major graded stakes that will offer a record $8.275 million in purses – the most lucrative stakes schedule in the shore oval’s history.
The superb slate of races at Del Mar includes six stakes that have been designated as “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series events, meaning that each winner will receive an automatic, expenses-paid berth into the 2022 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. That includes the marquee race, the Grade I, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, which will be run for the 32nd time in 2022 on Sept. 3. The 1 1/4-mile event for 3-year-olds and older is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade I, $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 5 at Keeneland racetrack in Lexington, Ky.
Wanna Bet?
It’s easy to bet on the races at Del Mar, even if you’re not able to attend in person. It’s legal in 37 states to bet from home using what’s called an “advance deposit wagering” platform – essentially an app or website that allows you to load up your account and bet from wherever you like. Many fans use the the official wagering platform of the Del Mar meet, TVG – a top online destination for horse racing fans who can also enjoy live streaming of races at Del Mar and across the country.
Del Mar also has introduced its Del Mar Mobile App that allows racing fans on-site to bet from the palms of their hands.
For live odds on every Del Mar horse race, go to TVG. Odds for major races at Del Mar will be available the week of the races.
Del Mar’s slogan is ‘Cool as Ever’, and you haven’t experienced horse racing or a day “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” until you’ve been to Del Mar.