“The Turf Meets the Surf” at Del Mar racetrack this weekend, the crowning moment for the track founded by Bing Crosby, Pat O’Brien and their Hollywood pals in 1937. Nestled in the seaside resort town of Del Mar, Calif., about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego, Del Mar will be hosting its first Breeders’ Cup. The $28 million, 13-race season-ending championships start with four races Friday followed by nine more Saturday, culminating with the $6 million Classic.
Crosby wrote and recorded the ditty “Where the Turf meets the Surf,” the track’s signature theme, still played before and after each racing program. Del Mar was the West Coast answer to upstate New York’s Saratoga Race Course, a getaway for racing fans to trade the big-city summer heat for the cooling ocean breezes. The track made a first big splash in 1938 when Seabiscuit, a national hero in the depths of the Great Depression, beat Ligaroti by a nose in a match race. The track is home to several prestigious races, including the $1 million Pacific Classic. But the Breeders’ Cup will elevate Del Mar to another level as an international showcase for racing’s biggest stars.
“We’ve had many wonderful racing events and thousands of special racing people be part of our rich history,” Del Mar President Joe Harper said. “But bringing the Breeders’ Cup horses, horsemen and their worldwide fans to our seaside showplace just might be our show of shows.”
It took a lot of work, and a major investment, to finally land the Breeders’ Cup. Southern California is frequent stop for the Breeders’ Cup. Until now, the venues have always been in the Los Angeles area. Hollywood Park was the site of the first Breeders’ Cup, in 1984. That track played host twice more before it closed in 2013. Santa Anita has had the Breeders’ Cup a record nine times.Del Mar was never under consideration until it widened the turf course. The $5 million project, completed in time for the 2014 summer season, now meets the Breeders’ Cup requirement to accommodate 14 horses in grass races.
“We were basically a nonstarter until we got the turf course widened,” said Craig Dado, vice president and chief marketing officer. “Before that, we could only run 10 on the turf. Widening the course not only made us eligible for a Breeders’ Cup, but also allow us more runners in turf races in general.”
That was the clincher. Del Mar had everything else going for it: history, good weather in early November and an excellent reputation.
“Del Mar is the place where a trainer goes when he dies and goes to heaven,” said trainer Mark Casse, a three-time Breeders’ Cup winner.
The track will be spruced up for the weekend with temporary “chalets” to expand dining options and the facility decked out to accommodate a full house. Attendance will be capped at 38,000 for both Friday and Saturday. Only a few tickets remain for Friday. Saturday is sold out.
Roughly 75 percent of the tickets were purchased by fans from outside Southern California. Visitors will find a different kind of Breeders’ Cup.
“The element we’re adding here is the beach,” Dado said. “The whole beach lifestyle, the beach culture that you see throughout Del Mar and the surrounding cities. You’ll see that in all the events leading up to the weekend.”
Not surprising, for the track “Where the Turf meets the Surf.” (AP)
Nadal clinches top ranking • Rafael Nadal will finish the year as the top-ranked tennis player for the fourth time. The 31-year-old Spaniard assured himself the No. 1 ranking by beating Hyeon Chung 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday in the second round of the Paris Masters. The 16-time Grand Slam winner had not finished the year at the top since 2013, with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray doing so after that.
“One year ago, for sure I never dreamed about being No. 1 again at the end of the season,” said Nadal, who missed large parts of the 2016 season because of a wrist injury. “It has been an amazing year.”
Nadal’s comeback from injury, loss of form and confidence, has been remarkable. He reached three Grand Slam finals this year, losing to Roger Federer at the Australian Open and winning a 10th French Open title before clinching the U.S. Open for the third time.
Nadal, who is tied for a record 30 Masters titles with Djokovic, has never won the tournament in Paris. He next faces Pablo Cuevas. Also, fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev lost to Robin Haase 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, and No. 9 John Isner beat Diego Schwartzman 7-6 (2), 6-7 (11), 6-3. (AP)
SLU makes A-10 men’s soccer tourney • Patrick Sarr and Saadiq Mohammed scored to help host St. Louis University defeat St. Joseph’s 2-0 and gain a berth in the Atlantic 10 Conference men’s soccer tournament. The Billikens (7-8-1, 4-4 A-10) are the No. 8 seed in the event and will play at top-seeded Massachusetts (12-3-3, 6-1-1) at noon (St. Louis time) on Sunday. (From news services)
Source: stltoday
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