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It’s Opening Day at Del Mar!

admin — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:09:00 +0000

Race fans today will hear Bing Crosby croon. They’ll feel an ocean breeze over Highway 101, hear the train roll through and see silly hats. Folks in various stages of undress will belly up to the stretch-run rail and bet on horses based on weird names, a jockey’s silk colors or because it’s a big gray horse with a military or nautical name. You can bet those things will happen at today’s Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack.

But as far as horses for courses go, which ones will run on the new Polytrack and and which ones won’t, that figures to challenge serious and casual shooters alike. The learning curve is expected to be steep for bettors, the trips to the ATM machine perhaps earlier in the card.

Early last Sunday morning,Toby Turrell was watching the throroughbreds workout on Del Mar’s new Polytrack. It was his fourth day observing horses on Del Mar’s new Beach Carpet, and Turrell a clocker, handicapper and horse owner noticed an early trend.

The horses either are comfortable and relish it and bounce over it, or they tend to struggle down the stretch, said Turrell, who hasn’t missed a summer at Del Mar since he was 5, clocking workouts and handicapping for the last 20 years.

I don’t think there’s a big gap, which is different than you’re used to with the old tracks. But it’s really apparent now when a horse isn’t taking to Polytrack. They struggle finding their rhythm. I’m seeing horses work good at short distances, but when they try and go five and six furlongs, they really have to be fit to go a nice work.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club invested more than $8.5 million to install the Polytrack. But it will ease onto its new surface by starting five races on today’s nine-race card, beginning with the second race. The opening race and three others are on turf.

Tips for the track Consensus betting tips for races on Del Mar’s new Polytrack surface, from handicappers and those in the racing business:

Look for horses that show improvement in workouts, particularly at Del Mar.
Look for a closing style of running. Polytrack favors fit horses with stamina and energy for the finish line.
Speed, particularly cheap speed (in low-level claiming races and all maiden races) likely won’t hold. Forget Beyer Speed Figures for now.
Look for jockeys who have a reputation for rating horses and adjusting their timing to different track rhythms.
Old-school jockeys might have a tougher time adapting. Young jockeys Michael Baze and Joe Talamo finished 1-2 for the season on Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track.
Turf horses have done well switching to Polytrack.

That Del Mar isn’t busting out of the gate on its Polytrack matches the attitude of many handicappers and bettors, most of whom will see the striking off-white oval for the first time today.I’m taking a wait-and-see approach, said Bob Ike, whose picks run in the Union-Tribune and on bobikepicks.com. It’s a whole new ballgame. I’m going to tread lightly and watch some races. I’ll bet the turf races at first.

Bruno De Julio who, like Turrell, clocks and owns horses, said: Take everything you know or thought you knew about handicapping and throw it out the window and start fresh. Go to school, watch these races, look at the works. You need to completely reverse your thinking from speed-oriented to stamina-oriented. Look at the closers.

Natale De Thomas has had a private box at Del Mar for the last 18 years. He visited Del Mar on Sunday morning to see the new track.

I want to see how the speed holds up compared to the dirt track, De Thomas said. The first two weeks or so I’ll really watch the toteboard and the betting more than anything else.

Polytrack not only is different for horses than dirt tracks in that it’s composed of silica sand, carpet fibers, recycled rubber and wax, but it looks different, too.

De Julio said, It looks like oatmeal here. Atother tracksthey said it looked like grits.De Bruno and Ike both think the early going on Polytrack could be wild for Del Mar’s horseplayers.

Chaos, Ike said. There could be some big exactas, trifectas and superfectas. Might see some amazing payoffs.

Said De Julio: Opening Day, it’s going to be a free-for-all. You’re going to have horses running three, four wide, sweeping around the turn, blowing by the speed, and there could be some big upsets. This is true racing. Horses are back to running on their class, their speed, their fitness and stamina. It’s not just a speed-oriented game anymore.

Traditionalists such as Andrew Beyer, whose Beyer Speed Figures revolutionized handicapping in the early 1990s, don’t like the synthetic tracks. Beyer called it a mutant version of horse racing that penalizes thoroughbreds for being fast.

Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone, now retired and a mom, sees Polytrack producing exciting finishes. She won Del Mar’s Pacific Classic aboard Candy Ride in 2003.

Del Mar used to be more partial to speed horses, and for me, as a jockey, riding horses that last 1/16th of a mile used to seem like forever, Krone said. With this new track, horses are going to be able to come from the pack and run up on the speed. Fans are going to have a more thrilling and exciting summer because it’s going to play more true. There will be more horsemanship from the jockeys, healthier horses and bigger fields.

That may not be as apparent today with the five races on Polytrack all being sprints of 5 to 6 furlongs.

Joe Harper, CEO and general manager of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, believes bettors will adapt. He’s not as concerned about the handle being down if the Whales heavy bettors don’t go deep into their pockets early. He said he’ll take the trade-off if jockey and horse injuries stay way down.

If that’s the price we pay for safety, I’ll accept it, Harper said. There are enough synthetic tracks around the country now Woodbine, Keeneland, Arlington, Turfway, Hollywood Park that these guys have been betting them and have a handle on it. It’s not a big concern. I think we’ll see some big prices and carryovers the first couple of weeks as horses adapt.

De Julio said, It looks like oatmeal here. Atother tracksthey said it looked like grits.

Del Mar Racing Season to Open

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:36:22 +0000

Yesterday, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club opened the track for training leading up to the start of its summer meeting Wednesday. And the biggest change? The surface of the track itself.

In a 5-hour period starting at 4:30 a.m., track officials estimated 400 of the approximately 600 horses already on site were exercised over the surface a mixture of silicon sand, fibers, rubber and wax installed early this year at a cost of $9 million. It was the first thoroughbred contingent over the surface since a dozen horses were sent out as a test group over a two-day period in late April upon completion of the project.Reviews yesterday were heavily positive, none more so than the one issued by retired Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.

It’s as good a track as I’ve ever been on, Stevens said. I galloped two horses for (trainer) Wesley Ward and I loved the way they were getting over it.

To me, it felt identical to Keeneland.

The historic Keeneland track in Lexington, Ky., installed Polytrack before its fall meeting in 2006 and conducted another meeting over the surface this spring. Polytrack is reputedly more consistent, safer and has had reduced instances of fatal injuries than the traditional dirt surfaces it has replaced at a handful of North American tracks.

Stevens, whose primary employment these days is as a TV commentator on racing, said his presence in the saddle yesterday should not be interpreted as a sign of an impending comeback.

I’m like a (basketball) gym rat. I can’t stay away from it, Stevens said. This just gives me some exercise. Unless they raise the scale of (riding) weights to 135 pounds, I’m not making any more comebacks.

Del Mar clocker Dane Nelson recorded only two timed workouts, both at the half-mile distance, one at 50 seconds flat and the other at :50 3/5. Most horses were taken at a more leisurely gallop pace and kept several paths out from the rail.

Trainers, many of them with horses now stabled at Hollywood Park, where the Cushion Track brand of engineered surface is in place, expressed satisfaction with the day of introduction.

It’s brand new, and it seemed to me to be a lot like Keeneland when they first installed Polytrack, or the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park before it got a lot of traffic on it, said Eric Guillot, who had Hollywood Juvenile winner Salute the Sarge among his contingent of exercisers.

It seemed to have a lot of cushion to it, but firm, a little different than Cushion Track, said trainer David Hofmans.

So far, so good, said Jim Barnes, assistant to seven-time Del Mar training champion Bob Baffert. We don’t know yet what changes might take place as the day goes on (or) days get warmer. ... We’re very happy with it right now.

Street Scene Advanced Tickets

admin — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:33:59 +0000

If you want to save money on Street Scene this year, your chance has arrived — but it will only last three days. Of course, the lineup hasn’t been announced yet for the 2007 edition of Street Scene, which will be held Sept. 22 and 23 at the festival’s new home at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. But budget-conscious fans can save money by buying specially discounted advance two-day ticket packages for the 23-year-old San Diego music marathon.

From 10 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday, two-day packages will be available for both regular and VIP tickets. Regular two-day ticket packages cost $93 each (by comparison, single-day tickets for last year’s Street Scene at the Qualcomm Stadium parking lot were $75 each.) Two-day VIP packages for this year’s event start at $239 each. VIP tickets include access to special parking, a separate entrance to the venue and admission to the VIP Lounge and restrooms.

To purchase pre-sale tickets, log onto to http://streetscene.tickets.musictoday.com/ (for regular two-day tickets) or http://streetscenevip.tickets.musictoday.com/ (for VIP-level two-day packages) and follow the instructions to register a user name. You will be charged an unspecified fee to register. The on-sale date for regular Street Scene tickets has yet to be determined, according to a Los Angels spokesman for Live Nation, which for the first time will co-produce Street Scene in association with Rob Hagey, the festival’s La Jolla based founder.

Carnival Cruiseliner moving to San Diego

admin — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 11:54:50 +0000

West coast vacationers hoping to hop a slow boat to a tropical paradise are in luck! Effective June 2007, Carnival “Elation” will move her homeport to San Diego, California. Not only does this mean an additional departure destination for cruisers, it also provides the opportunity for pre- and post-cruise getaways in an exciting city.

The 2,052-passenger “Elation” will offer four- and five-night voyages to Baja Mexico calling on Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada.

Visiting San Diego and the Surrounding Area

What can you do while in San Diego? Everything from wild animal encounters to cultural events. And it’s all in or near the port.

The San Diego Zoo

Absolutely one of the most well-known zoos in all the U.S., the San Diego Zoo consists of a 100-acre zoological park that houses 4,000 rare and endangered animals in their natural habitats. In addition, you’ll also find the Wildlife Animal Park encompassing over 1,800 acres. Home to 3,500 animals, the Wildlife Animal Park is an incredibly interesting exhibit, where you can get nose to nose with a lion or elephant literally! Separated by a glass barrier, safety is ensured and so is the fun! You’ll find this an exhilarating experience for you and your family.

The Zoo offers creative adventures including a Roar & Snore that allows after-hours tours and viewing of exhibits at night and Balloon Safaris that offer sky-high views of the park. Between the Zoo and Wildlife Park, you could spend an entire day getting lost in the wild!

Balboa Park

If your idea of fun is more sophisticated than wild, venture over to Balboa Park. The country’s largest urban cultural park offers 15 museums of varying sorts, performance arts, stunning gardens, talented musicians, hands-on classes and more.

Theme Parks Galore!

With just a short road trip, you can find several outstanding theme parks that deliver a wide range of excitement. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Six Flags Magic Mountain are located in Los Angeles. For a wet, wild escapade, Hurricane Harbor is just the ticket with every type of water ride imaginable (and many you’d never think of in your wildest dreams!).

Six Flags Magic Mountain may keep you dry, but your pulse rate will race just as fast. With 15 world-class roller coasters, you’ll have a scream a minute. Twists and turns, right side up, upside down you’ll turn every which way but loose.

Quail Botanical Gardens

For those who enjoy beauty and tranquility, Quail Botanical Gardens is both educational and breathtaking. Thirty-five acres of exhibits, including those from several different countries, surround you with magnificence and instill you with tranquility and peace.

Beaches

Of course, San Diego has some of the most exceptional beaches in the world. If water sports or soaking up the sun is on your agenda, visit the world-famous Mission Beach. Upscale homes line the waterfront near the boardwalk that is a favorite people-watching spot for locals. After all, this is the place to see and be seen. With both land and water activities, you can spend the day surfing, swimming, rollerblading, bicycling or playing volleyball.

Pacific Beach has a more relaxed, eccentric feel with taco stands, tattoo shops and Frisbees. Described by the City of San Diego as “ultra-casual, zero attitude,” Pacific Beach is a down-to-earth, but more crowded, alternative to high-fashion Mission Beach.

When it’s time to book your next cruise, consider the advantages of departing from San Diego. With so many fun and interesting activities, combining a shore retreat with a short three- or four-night cruise makes for the perfect vacation.