Del Mar’s wagering menu for its upcoming 2022 summer racing season has a familiar look with all of the betting options from last year carried over.
The only notable change in the format is the addition of an extra “mandatory payout” day to the roster, a betting event that brings additional luster to race cards with its $3- to $5-million enhanced pools bringing palpable buzz to the shore oval surrounding its popular Pick Six wager.
In 2021 Del Mar changed its Pick Six bet from a $2 price to a 20¢ one, going along with a nationally favored format for a bet that requires picking all the winners of the day’s final six races. The wager is known as the “Rainbow Pick Six.”
Last year there were two “mandatory payout” days – TVG Pacific Classic Day and closing day – when all monies in the pool went out to those with the most winners that afternoon. Those two days will be in effect again this year with the former coming on Saturday, September 3 and the latter happening on Sunday, September 11. The additional date will be relatively early on in the session on Saturday, August 6. The track’s 83 summer season breaks from the gate on Friday, July 22.
“The ‘mandatory payout’ afternoons have proven hugely popular with our players,” noted Del Mar’s director of mutuels, Bill Navarro. “Our switch to the 20¢ Pick Six minimum has allowed the small and mid-level players the ability to spread deep throughout the card and the ‘mandatory’ days with their huge pools excite fans from across the spectrum.”
Del Mar’s Pick Six will payout 70% of the pool each day to those with the most winners with the remaining 30% carried over, provided there are no single-ticket winners. A single-ticket winner on any day takes home the entire prize.
Four other multi-race bets that have proven fan favorites will be on the roster. The Super High 5 – available on the day’s last race – proved a real winner last year when the ‘play’ denomination was lowered from $1 down to 50¢. It will be back this year at that same 50¢ price. The other three multi-race bets that proved very well liked in 2021 – and will return this year – are the Early Pick Four (starting with Race 2) at a 50¢ price; a Late Pick Five offered on the last five races daily at 50¢, 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 race of the day, a bet that has proven to be one of the most-in-demand in the country shown in the fact that it regularly registers $1-million-plus pools on weekends. Also available will be the Early Pick Five, which mirrors its Late Pick Five entrymate.
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); 50¢ Super High 5 (last); 20¢ 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).
Del Mar will open its season with a three-day weekend (Friday, July 22, 23 and 24), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), followed by a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 5), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 9, 10 and 11).