Mirroring its 2018 presentation, Del Mar’s 2019 betting menu again will offer racing fans at the seaside course 17 different ways to wager on the 36 racing cards that will be presented between Wednesday, July 17 and Labor Day Monday, September 2.
The track’s bet roster starts with the traditional win, place and show wagers and expands all the way out to several five- and six-horse combinations.
Last year the track installed three new wagers and they’re all back again for the shore oval’s 80th racing season. They were, and are, an early Pick Four starting on Race 2 at a .50¢ price; a late Pick 5 offered on the last five races daily, also at the .50¢ level, and a Win, Place, Show Parlay available for a minimum of two races and a maximum of six. It is a $2 bet.
In addition to its Early Pick Four, the track will continue to offer its usual Pick Four on the last four races on the day’s card, a bet that has proven to be one of the most popular in the country and regularly registers $1-million-plus pools on weekends. The late Pick Five also will be similar to the track’s early Pick Five held on the day’s initial five events. And the Win, Place, Show Parlay will be presented using the standard single-bet W-P-S takeout of 15.43% instead of a multi-bet takeout that goes above 20%.
Del Mar will continue with its longstanding $2 Pick Six on all racing days, along with the “Single Ticket Jackpot” addition to it that the track introduced during its 2016 fall season. Under the “Jackpot” rules, a separate pool accumulates alongside the regular one if nobody hits the bet as a lone ticket holder. This allows for a large separate pool to grow even in the case of a “hit’ on the Pick Six by two or more players. The “Jackpot” pool often reaches six figures in fairly rapid order and can be expected to do so throughout the stand.
And, as it did last summer, Del Mar will schedule two “mandatory payouts” on the “Jackpot” pool: first on TVG Pacific Classic Day (Saturday, August 17), then on Closing Day, Monday, September 2. That means that a Pick Six winner on either of those dates would share not only in the regular pool, but the full “Jackpot” pool besides. Additionally, consolation winners on those days also would share in the “Jackpot” payout.
“Our new bets went over well last year,” said Del Mar’s director of mutuels Bill Navarro, “so naturally we’ve brought them back. And our multi-race wagers – the Pick Fours, Pick Fives and Pick Sixes – always draw good action from those wanting to accept the challenge and take a swing. We’re hopeful for a good season at the wickets.”
The full array of Del Mar bets is as follows: $2 win, place and show (all races); $1 Exacta (all); $2 Quinella (all); .50¢ Trifecta (all); $2 Rolling Doubles (all except last); $1 Rolling Pick 3 (all except last two); $1 Superfecta (.10¢ minimum – all); $1 Place Pick All (starts w/Race 1 or 2); $1 Super High 5 (last); $2 Pick Six (last six); .50¢ Players’ Pick 5 (first five and last five); .50¢ Pick 4 (Races 2 thru 5 and last four), and $2 Win-Place-Show Parlay (all races but last).
Racing will be conducted on a Wednesday through Sunday basis throughout the stand with the lone exception of the Labor Day Monday closer. First post daily will be 2 p.m., with the exceptions of Fridays when starting times shift to 4 p.m. The Friday programs are dubbed “Four O’Clock Fridays” and they run until sunset followed by a popular band as part of the heralded Del Mar Concert Series.
To purchase tickets to the races, Del Mar fans are encouraged to go to delmarracing.com