del mar

[gowand]

I am heading out to Del Mar for the first time at end of July.  Can anyone give me any guidance on seats, eating establishments, ect.

[JohnTChance]

A lot of information can be had at Del Mar\'s terrific web site at dmtc.com.

Other than Opening Day and Pacific Classic Day, decent seats are available and fairly easy to get. Just go to the box office. Or go online. PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION: To get good seats near the finish line, befriend an usher, hand him $20, and he may even seat you somewhere close to trainer Bob Baffert.

But the best thing about Del Mar is just wandering around. Seeing the horses. Seeing the women. [WOMEN ACTUALLY GO TO THE RACES AT DEL MAR! Whereas at Aqueduct, everybody weighs 400 pounds and is named \"Vinnie.\"] Also, unlike Saratoga, where it takes 20 minutes to get from the paddock to your seat, at Del Mar it\'s a pretty quick hop, skip and a jump to go from the wonderful paddock to your seat. To me, the facility feels just right. Like a racetrack should. Think the anti-Gulfstream. Hey! And there are no mosquitoes [like at Saratoga]! The track is 300 yards from the ocean!

The occasional handicapping seminars ThoroGraph participates in are worthwhile if that interests you. I think this List\'s Del Mar Deb shows up to help out there. You can purchase your ThoroGraphs across the street from the track at the Winners Circle Resort.

Recommended eateries:

- The Fish Market: across the street from the track. Seafood.
- Milton\'s Delicatessen: Breakfast with trainers.
- Red Tracton\'s: across the street from the track. Steak. Hooker action at the bar.
- Pamplemousse Grille: across the street from the track. $$$$ but worth it. Eat at the bar and talk to owner/chef Jeff.
- Souplantation: all-you-can-eat salad/pizza/pastas/soups/ice cream bar. Cheap. Football teams, middle-income families and losing horseplayers come to pig out.
- Epazotes: In Del Mar village. Southwestern/Mexican. Awesome women. Pick-up bar scene.

On off days, see the Padres at Petco Park. See open-air Shakespeare at the Old Globe Theatre. AND MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE: After the races, go to Del Mar Village Park, sit on a park bench that looks out towards the incredible Pacific ocean, watch the surfers in front of you and an incredible setting sun behind them. Then inhale slowly and exhale slowly. Then repeat. In. Out. In. Out. Finally, ask yourself: \"Am I dreaming? This is paradise. Why am I living in New York, when I can be HERE!?

Hope this helped.

JohnTChance

[TGJB]

John-- we\'re trying to get the hookers to give a discount to those with TG sets, Deb is doing the negotiating. Stay tuned.

[P-Dub]

Can you get that ready by Labor Day Weekend?? Wait a minute, taking my girlfriend.  Maybe I\'ll feed her margaritas until she wants some more company.

I\'ll be there for the Del Mar Derby, and going to Petco that Sat night (SD Chicken night, found nice home plate seats on EBAY vs Cinn).

Been to Petco once before, beautiful stadium in a great location - right in the Gaslamp district.

I like the seats on the 4th level.  Nice view at the 16th pole, great view of horses as they straighten out for the stretch run, ocean view if you walk to the end of the concourse.  Sat in the 3rd level last year and didn\'t like it, covered seating (you\'re in SD for crying out loud). I would call the ticket office, they were very helpful.

Thanks for the info JohnT

[imallin]

Best days to go to DMR are during the week. Weekends are jam packed. They have concerts on Friday nights, lots of people there too. They have some good musical acts there on Friday, check out the schedule if thats something you want to do.

The women at Del Mar are sick. You\'ll take one look and think, \"i wanna move here\"

Epazote\'s is good, JTC is right about that place. Its in the Del Mar plaza. Within walking distance from Epazote is a sportsbar called Jimmy O\'s. This is one of the \'in\' places to see racing celebs. Seen lots of TVG guys there, tons of trainers, even the jocks go there. You want to see Julio Canani with 3 women on his arm, head to Jimmy o\'s after the races. The food there is actually good too, nice little menu.

There\'s a little restaurant right next to Jimmy O\'s called Sbicca...really good. The owner is a great guy named Dan who\'s a horse owner and has a horse or 2 with Bob Hess i believe.

[ezgoer89]

gowand Wrote:
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> I am heading out to Del Mar for the first time at
> end of July.  Can anyone give me any guidance on
> seats, eating establishments, ect.


I estimate I\'ve been to about 80 different racetracks and last summer I made my first trip to Del Mar on Pacific Classic Day.  Without question, that is my favorite track.  The combination of the weather, the races, the atmosphere... it\'s just perfect, just an incredibly awesome place that makes you forget about trips to Penn National, Hazel Park, and Delta Downs.

[gowand]

Thanks for your help everyone.  I am a lifetime Saratoga attendee and I am giving up opening weekend for this trip.  Sounds like it will be worth it.

[P-Dub]

The chances of you having one of your finest racetrack experiences, is the same as Chuckles criticizing LITF after his next race.

[Uncle Buck]

I can\'t beleive nobody mentioned Milton\'s Deli. This is a WORLD CLASS eatery with the best corned beef sandwiches on earth. They got all the good stuff. Not to be missed.

Take the Villa De La Valle exit off 101 and head east one block. Milton\'s is on the left.

Trust me. Go there. You can thank me later.

Another tip is the Courtyard by Marriott holet on Pacific Coast Highway. It\'s about 1/2 mile from the track but astonishingly they have rooms most times. Good rates, nice place to stay and you\'re right on the PCH...

Enjoy! Last time I went I was stuck $3,800 for three days on about an hour before we left for the airport I hit a $5,100 super at the Bay Meadows Fair via simulcast! Good times!!!!!

[imallin]

One year on Pac Classic day, i stopped there on way to track because i knew that it would be hard to eat at the races, i didn\'t want to be eating a sandwich when a good betting opportunity arose. Don\'t remember if the sandwich was good or not, i think it was expensive though.