A Brief History Of Del Mar California Horse Racing by Terry Hunefeld
In the late 1930's famous movie star singer Bing Crosby set out to follow his dream of building a horse track at Del Mar in the cool Pacific Ocean breezes. Bing wanted a club where he his friends could bet the horses all day party all night. Thus was the Del Mar Horse Track born built.
When the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club race track opened Bing himself took tickets at the gate welcomed race fans to what was to become one of the most famous race tracks in the United States visited by race fans horse owners sports enthusiasts from all over the world.
A milestone in the track's history came during the summer of 1938 when the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club hosted a $25,000 match up between Charles Howard's Seabiscuit the Binglin Stable's Ligaroti. Only Major League Baseball superseded horse racing in American sports during this era. The upcoming match was the talk of the country. The race was the first time a thoroughbred horse race was ever broadcast nationally by NBC radio. The rest is history Seabiscuit won the Del Mar Race Track was famous once for all joining other storied race tracks in the annals of sports history as one of the most famous race tracks in the country.
Between the years of 1938 1942 the Del Mar horse racing track entertained Hollywood personalities celebrities Mickey Rooney Desi Arnaz Lucille Ball W. C. Fields Douglas Fairbanks Paulette Goddard Ava Gardner. A famous comedian of the day Joe Frisco spent a fair amount of time money in Del Mar. He played on his reputation as the consummate track loser with lines like "I went to the track Monday but it was closed so I just shoved the money under the door. "
When the United States entered the second World War in 1942 the fun was over for a few years. The site was used as a training base for the Marines then a manufacturing plant for bomber airplane parts. When Japan surrendered in 1945 August 15 was a national holiday. More than 20,000 horse lovers attended Del Mar that day betting more than $900,000 a spectacular sum at the time.
In 1946 the Santa Fe Railroad began offering a race track special to bring spectators bettors horses to Del Mar from Los Angeles. Greeting the train the "racetrack special" at the train station became a popular tradition for Del Mar residents. Today in 2009 more than seventy years & sixty million dollars in improvements later the racing season begins on July 22 extends through September 9.
Terry Hunefeld retired several years ago from his job as a CEO pursue his passion of sailing the ocean to observe seabirds mammals. He his wife Ann own the Inn At Moonlight Beach Bed Breakfast in the Del Mar area. More about the Del Mar Horse Races innatmoonlightbeach. com delmarhorseracing. html Del Mar Horse Racing innatmoonlightbeach. com delmarhorseracing. html. A Brief History Of Del Mar California Horse Racing
