Legends never die and, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, they live on and bear witness to new stories of triumph and victory. For fans of high-stakes racing, a new tale begins next year on on November 1st and 2nd as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships returns to the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in what is sure to be the 2024’s must-attend event for historians, aficionados, and newcomers alike.
Of course, it is hard to separate the legendary Del Mar Fairgrounds from the world’s first multimedia superstar Bing Crosby. Birthed on Christmas Day 1934, the Del Mar Fairgrounds is the product of a partnership between stock broker and former college football coach William A. Quigley and the aforementioned prince of Hollywood. Originally christened the Del Mar Turf Club, what would become today’s racing track had its first official race on July 3, 1937 with Crosby himself there to personally greet fans as they entered the venue. Less than a decade later, the first Bing Crosby Stakes were held, ushering in three decades of dominance as the West’s premier horse racing track.
Such is the energy surrounding the announcement of 2024’s event that the excitement is already palpable. Weathering COVID-19 and the global pandemic just like many other venues across the globe, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is touting a return to normalcy and legacy as fans eagerly mark their calendars for what is sure to be yet another historic occasion at the fairgrounds.
“We are delighted to announce that the World Championships will be returning to Del Mar next year for what is sure to be an unforgettable two-year-run on the West Coast,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO told the Thoroughbred Daily News in response to the announcement of the return to Del Mar.
President of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Josh Rubinstein echoed Fleming’s comments to Thoroughbred Daily News, adding, “We’re excited for the return of Breeders’ Cup to Del Mar in 2024. The prestige of the event combined with our venue’s iconic, seaside setting makes for an extraordinary weekend. Additionally, we are grateful for the economic support the Championship races bring to our community. This is a milestone event for San Diego and we look forward to building upon the record-breaking success in 2017 and 2021.”
Speaking of milestones and record-breaking success, the 2024 event will feature a first-ever celebrity ambassador in the form of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Executive Board member Bo Derek. Representing the MyRacehorse owner community at the event as well as the Del Mar establishment itself.
Commenting on anticipation for the event as well as the lifelong joys Derek has derived from being part of the community, she remarks, “I am so excited to be a horse owner with MyRacehorse. I’ve been involved in racing for 20 years and I love the sport, but I’ve never been an owner or part owner of a horse. So this will be a new experience for me I am very excited about.”
