Hats Off to Del Mar For Setting Opening Day Record

by Steve Davidowitz | Jul 21 2011

Along with a terrific performance by MR. COMMONS in the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar Racetrack  on Wednesday, July 20 before an opening day Del Mar crowd of 46,588 horse racing fans – an all time Del Mar record – it was hard to miss at least 15,000 women proudly wearing hats of all sizes and shapes.

While the Oceanside Stakes has been the traditional opening day Del Mar feature for a few decades, the track’s informal festival of hats has become one of the most effective drawing cards to the beautiful track by the Pacific Ocean.

There was an upside-down-hat; no, make that an upside-down-cake hat! Complete with sliced pineapples.

There was some beautiful hats that could have been on the cover of Vogue and there was the annual appearance of the hat with two horses on top and the hat that plays Del Mar’s signature song: "Where the turf meets the surf, at ole Del Mar," as sung by Bing Crosby, who recorded it for the track he helped build in the 1930’s, a song played before and after every Del Mar racing card.   

Beyond the fantastic festivities, the Del Mar racing season began with an early flurry of stretch running winners, including the stretch running score in 58.39 seconds for five furlongs by the promising 2-year-old maiden WEEMISFRANKIE. The young filly, a New York bred first time starter, was a long way from the Saratoga Race Course , which will open its excellent summer meet in upstate New York on Friday, July 22 with an opening day maiden race for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies to be named "The Gabrielle Giffords," in honor of Arizona Congresswoman  Gabrielle Giffords.

A nominee to the $250,000, Del Mar Debutante at 7 furlongs on Saturday, Sept. 3, Weemisfrankie was expertly ridden by Rafael Bejarano, who kept her in reserve until she began to lengthen stride entering the relatively short Del Mar homestretch.  Bejarano, one of the strongest riders in the game is expected to challenge Joel Rosario for the Del Mar meet title, just as those two top riders battled each other throughout the 2010 Del Mar meet, with Rosario prevailing by one win 57 to 56 on the final day.

On Wednesday, Rosario failed to win a race on the 10 race card, but two other riders made their presence felt as they usually do at this meet.

Joe Talamo won the first and ninth races, including the only wire to wire score on aboard GILLIGAN at one mile on a racing surface that favored closers. Hall of Famer Mike Smith also had two winners, including a smooth ride aboard even money favorite Mr. Commons in the one mike Oceanside on the infield turf course.

In winning the Oceanside, Smith was teaming up with trainer John Shirreffs, just as they teamed up so many times before – with GIACAMO in the 2005 Kentucky Derby and with 2010 Horse of the Year ZENYATTA, the great race mare who won the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic and 18 other victories in her 19 career starts.

Third in the Santa Anita Derby, Mr. Commons was making his first start since Shirreffs uncharacteristically pushed him to run in the Preakness at Pimlico, where he did not fare well, finishing seventh.

With time off for good behavior, Mr. Commons was sharp for the Oceanside and now with his form clearly certified for turf racing, it is doubtful Shirreffs will try Mr. Commons on dirt again. Most likely he will point the son of Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Artie Schiller for the $250,000 Del Mar Derby on Sunday, Sept. 4.

From what he showed the Del Mar fans – with or without fancy and silly hats – it will take a serious horse to run a most serious race to beat Mr. Commons in any turf stakes for 3-year-olds.
Added Note:  While Del Mar settles into its 37 day race meet on a five day a week schedule from now through Sept. 7, Saratoga opens on Friday, July 22 for six days a week, for a total of 40 days, through Labor Day, Sept. 5.

Between the two premier summer tracks on both coasts, there will be more than $1.5 million in average daily purses on the table including 92 combined stakes, 54 of them Graded.

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