Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will conduct its 77th summer racing season beginning Friday, July 15 led by a solid core of veteran racing officials.
Heading the crew in his 36th summer at the shore oval is DMTC’s executive vice president/racing and industry relations Tom Robbins. Part of one of California’s most prominent racing families, Robbins not only does extensive work for Del Mar, but also is an executive presence nationally and internationally for Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Robbins oversees a racing department that is guided by David Jerkens, now in his third summer at Del Mar as its racing secretary. Like Robbins, Jerkens hails from a famous racing family and his previous racing office work in New York and Northern California prepared him well for his current assignment.
Jerkens’ right-hand man is assistant racing secretary Zachary Soto, returning for his 26th summer at Del Mar. At his side will be stakes coordinator Chris Merz, who filled that role nicely for the first time last year at the seaside track. Other key staffers are stable superintendents Dennis Sparks and Tom Fator; jockey room clerk of scales Charles McCaul and his assistant, Matt Nichols, and clerk of the course Dawn Schmid.
The track’s Board of Stewards will consist of Scott Chaney, serving his 11th consecutive summer at Del Mar; Kim Sawyer in her eighth shore season, and Grant Baker, back for his third summer after having done tours in the local stand in 2006 and 2007.
Placing judges will be Robert Moreno and Merry Young, while Sue Brent will alternate as both a placing and patrol judge. Heather Correa also will serve as a patrol judge and Karen Denovel will work as both a paddock and patrol judge.
The track’s veterinarian crew will be made up of Dr. Dana Stead, D.V.M., working directly for Del Mar, along with Dr. Tim Grande, D.V.M., and Dr. Barrie Grant, D.V.M., handling the California Horse Racing Board responsibilities.
Other officials for the 39-day meet include Bridget Crawford, paymaster of purses; Dianne Piper, horse identifier; Russell Hudak, morning line maker and official timer, and Victor Tovar, horseshoe identifier.
Leif Dickinson is back for his 17th year as Del Mar’s turf and landscape superintendent and Steven Wood is in his first summer as track superintendent after a long run working in various capacities on the track’s maintenance crews starting in 1993, most recently as foreman to Del Mar’s now retired superintendent Rich Tedesco.
Head starter for the meet is the veteran Jay Slender in his third year at the track.
Del Mar’s season runs over eight weekends until Labor Day, Monday, September 5. After the opening Friday through Sunday start of the session, racing will be conducted on a Wednesday through Sunday basis for the balance of the summer.