Another record year at Del Mar

Ralph Siraco

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 1997 | 8:16 a.m.

Del Mar wrapped up another successful season of seaside racing at its 60th anniversary summer meet which concluded on Sept. 10. Again, the famous Southern California spa posted record numbers for the 43-day session. For the seventh straight year, Del Mar led North American racetracks in daily average attendance with a mark of 30,578. Total handle (monies bet) from all sources, that included on-track, 33 California inter-track outlets and 1,062 simulcast sites (which include Nevada race books) throughout North and South America, was a record $520,946,023, representing an increase of 3.7 percent from the 1996 totals. Out-of-state commingled pools (again representing Nevada) was $167,046, 418 of the total. Favorites won 140 of 378 races for a winning percentage of 37 while finishing in the money 256 times for 68 percent and 25 odds-on choices won from 58 for a percentage of 43.

Kent Desormeaux snapped Alex Solis' string of consecutive major Southern California riding titles at six when he outperformed Solis on closing day to take the Del Mar title 40-39. Kent doubled on the finale while Solis blanked and veteran rider Eddie Delahoussaye finished third with 37 wins.

The trainers' title was as climatic as watching the plush infield turf course grow. Bob Baffert, who led virtually from opening day, won the title with 27 victories of 86 starts. Victory No. 26 came in the closing day feature Del Mar Futurity with Souvenir Copy, you recall Baffert won the 1996 renewal with eventual Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm. Mike Mitchell, who won the Hollywood Park summer training title, finished a nonthreatening second with 18 winners. Horse-of-the-Meet honors went to Pacific Classic winner Gentlemen. The Hollywood Gold Cup winner made the one winning appearance of the season in the Classic and the dominating display was enough to take the top votes in the annual media poll.

The fourth edition of Kentucky Cup Day was presented over the weekend at Turfway Park in Florence. The six-race $1.15 million series was highlighted by the Grade III $500,000 Kentucky Cup Classic. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who had dominated the past three events with eight victories of 18 series races, went Coup d'Argent in quest of his third Classic Cup, having accounted for the first two renewals with Tabasco Cat in 1994 and Thunder Gulch in '95. Team Lukas had to settle for third, as Semoran with Del Mar's title team, Desormeaux and Baffert, rolled to a gate-to-wire victory in 1:48 flat for the 1 1/8 mile tour. Distorted Humor chase second all the way while the winner paid an overlay price of $17.40.

Other Kentucky Cup race winners: Busterblock in the Starter Allowance; Nurse Goodbody upsetting the two to five Baffert/Desormeaux Del Mar Debutante winner Vivid Angel in the Juvenile Fillies; Trainer Nick Zito's Laydown Beating Lukas' Time Limit in the Juveniles; Lukas' Partner's Hope winning the Sprint.