Del Mar credits five-day week for positive numbers
With its 70th racing season ending Wednesday, Del Mar reported increases in
on-track daily average attendance and handle. Track officials credited the
positive numbers, which were posted despite the difficult economic climate, to
Del Mar’s shortened five-day race week.
When the final turnstile had been spun, Del Mar could boast of an average
daily attendance of 17,181, an increase of 7.4 percent over last year’s daily
tally of 16,002. The 2009 final average daily attendance stands as the track’s
best gate count since pre-ITW days in California — all the way back to 1987’s
daily average of 19,685.
In addition, figures out of the mutuels’ office show that on-track handle
checked in with an average number of $2,292,284 per day, a rise of 5.8 percent
over the 2008 daily average of $2,167,028.
Well prior to the start of the 2009 session, Del Mar petitioned for — and
was granted by the California Horse Racing Board — a reduction in its number of
racing days from a long-standard 43 days presented six-days-per-week, to 37
racing cards run over five days each week between Wednesday and Sunday.
The track’s reasoning was based on an ongoing shortage of racing stock, the
economy both nationally and in California, as well as a direct-result plan to
alter a racing industry that had diluted itself and its product to unprecedented
low levels.
Joe Harper, president and general manager of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club,
spoke of the track’s approach.
“When we went all out for our dates change,” Harper said, “we were reacting
to economic circumstances and trying to put some energy back into this wonderful
sport of ours. For too long now the idea has been that you can never have
enough, a philosophy that, given the reality of the times, no longer holds true.
“The key to most everything we did this summer was the change to the five-day
week,” Harper continued. “It was overwhelmingly popular and absolutely
successful. From our racing fans, to our horsemen, to our employees, it has been
win, win, win. We offered a better show this summer in so many ways and the
across-the-board response to it has been gratifying.”
The track also showed growth through its Advanced Deposit Wagering (ADW)
platforms. In-state average daily ADW handle was up more than 14 percent, while
average daily out-of-state was even better, at a growth in excess of 22 percent.
Final purse numbers were still being calculated, but the track forecasts a
likely increase in average daily purses of more than 6 percent, again directly
linked to its shift to five-day racing. Last year Del Mar’s purses were $554,403
per day.
Further on the positive front, Del Mar could brag of turning its Opening Day
extravaganza this year into an all-time through-the-gate record when a
party-hearty crew of 44,907 kicked off the season on July 22 in rousing fashion.
Additionally, its new “Free & Easy Wednesday” promotion, which offered free
admissions and seats along with half-priced food and beverage, met with an
enthusiastic response from racing fans who signed on readily for the track’s
Diamond Club cards to access the discounts. More than 20,000 signed up for the
program on Wednesdays and the daily average attendance those afternoons jumped
from 10,790 to 12,732, a boost of 18 percent.
“In the face of challenging economic headwinds, we were very pleased with the
growth in average daily on-track and ADW wagering,” said Mike Ernst, DMTC’s
senior vice president and chief financial officer. “These growth areas helped
offset wagering declines in off-track simulcast handle, which is down sharply
throughout the country.”
The track’s overall daily average handle — when all sources are considered
— came in at $13,040,206, which is an increase of 0.3 percent from last year’s
final daily average of $13,005,906.
Del Mar’s preference in its new five-day racing arrangement is to measure all
numbers on a daily average basis, with the belief that this standard is a more
consistent measure of actual performance.
If last year’s six racing Mondays are eliminated from the equation, and a
37-day-vs.-37-day table were drawn up, the track showed a 1 percent decrease in
daily average handle on-track from $2,316,577 in 2008 to $2,292,284 in 2009.
Under the 37-vs.-37 scenario its attendance was down a tad also at 0.4 percent
from a 2008 total of 638,470 to 635,679.
Total handle for the 37 days came in at $482,487,630, as opposed to
$559,253,943 for 43 days the previous year. That was a decline of 13.7 percent,
understandable given the six fewer Monday racing cards.
It was a three-division sweep for the super speedy ZENSATIONAL (Unbridled’s
Song) in the annual media poll to crown the season’s champions. The gray colt,
trained by new Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, was a unanimous choice as top sprinter
of the meet and runaway choice as Horse of the Meet and top three-year-old after
capturing the Bing Crosby S. (G1) and Pat O’Brien S. (G1).
The undefeated ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]), who defended her title in the
Clement L. Hirsch S.(G1), repeated as top older filly or mare.
Top older horse honors went to the upset winner of the Pacific Classic (G1),
RICHARD’S KID (Lemon Drop Kid).
In one of the closest votes in the media poll, SPRING HOUSE (Chester House),
the repeat winner of the Del Mar H. (G2), ruled as the winner in the top grass
horse category. Close to Spring House were GLOBAL HUNTER (Arg) (Jade Hunter),
who won the Eddie Read S. (G1), and the filly MAGICAL FANTASY (Diesis [GB]),
winner of the John C. Mabee S. (G1).
In another tight vote, INTERNALLYFLAWLESS (Giant’s Causeway), winner of the
Del Mar Oaks (G1), edged out CARLSBAD (Rocky Bar), winner of the Rancho Bernardo
H. (G3), for top three-year-old filly honors.
Rating unanimous support were the winners of Del Mar’s major races for
two-year-olds, the filly MI SUENO (Pulpit), who won the Sorrento S. (G3) prior
to the Darley Debutante S. (G1), and LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike), winner of
both the Best Pal S. (G2) and the Del Mar Futurity (G1).