A total of 350 horse races are scheduled between Thursday and Labor Day at Del Mar — and nearly as many promotions.
OK, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but Del Mar’s 40-day summer meeting is about much more than horses running counterclockwise around a dirt or turf track.
The hats and the people-watching get most of the attention on Opening Day, but here are some of the promotional highlights:
4 O’Clock Fridays
A staple for many years, each of the eight Fridays includes a post-race concert. This year’s lineup:
July 17: The Wallflowers
July 24: The Wailers
July 31: The Crystal Method
Aug. 7: Thievery Corporation
Aug. 14: Steel Pulse
Aug. 21: Pepper
Aug. 28: “Weird Al” Yankovic
Sept. 4: Paul Oakenfold
There are concerts on several other days as well: The Offspring (July 25), Ziggy Marley (Aug. 1) and Weezer (Sept. 6), plus the traditional “Party in the Paddock” on Closing Day (Sept. 7), this year featuring Wayward Sons.
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
When: Thursday through Sept. 7. No racing on Mondays (except Closing Day) and Tuesdays. First race at 2 p.m. except Fridays (4 p.m.).
Where: Del Mar Racetrack, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar
Tickets: ission $6-$10 daily except Opening Day ($10-$20). Limited free seating; seats sold separately. Discounts available.
Phone: (858) 755-1141
Online: dmtc.com
Giveaways
They don’t give away winners (you have to earn those, or at the least luck into it), but want a T-shirt or a beach bag? Show up on Aug. 8 for a free Del Mar T-shirt and on Aug. 29 for a free Del Mar beach bag. And, while every Sunday is Family Day, the first one this week features a supersized version with a Webkinz Plush Horse Giveaway for kids 12 and under.
Food and beer
The days of just grabbing a hot dog and a soda or nondescript beer have long ed. Del Mar will host a pair of Craft Beer Festivals, on July 25 and Aug. 29, and a Chili Cookoff and Salsa Festival on Aug. 8. There’s also a Food Truck Festival on Aug. 15.
If it’s free …
Continuing a tradition, Del Mar will offer “Free and Easy Wednesdays,” which include free Stretch Run (Grandstand) ission, a free program, a free seat and half-price beer (domestic drafts), soda and hot dogs. You have to the track’s Diamond Club, but that’s free, too, and you can do it adjacent to the ission gates.
Also, for the track’s older customers (no, that’s not everyone anymore), Diamond Club 62 and older are itted free every Thursday (except today). On two of the days, July 30 and Sept. 3, even nonmember seniors are itted free and get a free seat.
