Columnist Joe Delaney: Weekend jaunt includes friends, fun at Del Mar track

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999 | 9:33 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com.

Four days at Del Mar: Southwest Airlines flight 711 touched down at San Diego's airport at 12:20 p.m. last Thursday. A good friend for 40 years, Maynard Sloate was waiting and we were off to the Del Mar race track, arriving in time for the daily double. My allotted investment capital was $250 total, and I vowed not to lose $1 more during the 36 races, ending Sunday.

J.K. "Ike" Houssels Turf Club table was our operating base. Del Mar is primarily a "chalk" or favorites track with first or second choices winning more than 40 percent of the time, not a good venue for involuntarily retired, long-shot horse players like this columnist.

Monday, after an interminable traffic tie-up en route, we just made the 12:20 p.m. flight back with $190 in pocket. Allowing $30 cash for track incidentals, we had lost just $30, $7.50 per day for four days, a triumph of sorts.

Vegans were there

Retired longtime casino host Jackie Leonard and I were able to visit each day. Jackie's late wife, Janie, and I had worked together on 20 Starlite Party fund-raisers for Helen J. Stewart School. ... Leonard said he had a good first week but gave it all back and more. ... Banker Ken Sullivan was there with his sister Barbara, a nun.

Sullivan was having a bad day betting, as was his sister, the nun. This concerned me because one would think that a nun might have a little extra something going for her.

Ken's wife, Susan, came in Sunday and we discussed the fine job Gary Rosenberg was doing as Variety Club's chief barker (president).

Susan will be succeeding Gary as chief barker here shortly. She is a tireless worker for good causes, especially those helping disadvantaged children. She gets things done.

Back to the track

Six of Sunday's winners in Del Mar's nine races Sunday paid less than $6.50, not good. Fortunately, the other three winners in the middle races paid five to one, six to one and 10 to one, respectively.

This back-in-action handicapper caught all three plus a couple of exactas and a trifecta, almost returning us to the break-even point; ready to go home.

Another encounter: We ran into former Showboat CEO Frank Modica and his wife, Joyce. Modica had a bad health siege a few years ago but looked well enough to return to action. ... Friend Sloate has an ocean-front condo in Solano Beach, 10 minutes from the track, with an extra bedroom that was to be unoccupied those four days.

If you go down to Del Mar, we recommend Tracton's Restaurant. Red Tracton left us a few years back, but his daughter, Tracy, and the staff have kept up Red's high food and service standards.

Breaking even after four days and 36 races of serious betting can be great entertainment.

Star-policy rundown

It's George Carlin (Bally's); Brian Setzer Orchestra, Friday through Sunday (Caesars Palace); Ray Romano, Friday and Saturday (Desert Inn); Bill Acosta (Luxor); Tom Jones (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Everly Brothers (Orleans); and Danny Gans (Rio). ... The Neville Brothers plus Little Feat are in residence at Mandalay Bay's House of Blues, 8 p.m. on Friday only.

Las Vegas residents, with proof of residency, will receive one free ticket to "Chicago" (Mandalay Bay) for each ticket purchased. ... The offer is good through Sept. 12, so go see it.

Recommended: Ray Glover, master of all the keyboards and an international singing favorite, Saturdays through Wednesdays (Treasure Island). ... Glover, from Tennessee, has also appeared with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and is the Memphis Art Council's artist in residence.

Local happenings

Roger Miller's "Big River" continues through Aug. 28, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. ... It's "MacBeth," as an urban tragedy, through Sunday, Las Vegas Academy; Actors Repertory Theatre's "The Sound Of Music," through Aug. 29, Summerlin Library Theatre; The Joseph Bernard Actors Studio production of "Caine Mutiny Court Martial," this weekend and next, Winchester Center, a best-buy at $7, $5 for seniors and students.

There's more: "Put On A Hat, Too" will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday, Henderson Civic Center Amphitheater. ... CCSN presents the Solstice Dance Theatre's "Dance In The Desert Festival," Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. ... See you Friday.