EYE TO THE FUTURE: DEL MAR LOOKING AHEAD TO 2017 BREEDERS’ CUP

Although it’s still three years away, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club officials already formulating a game plan for when the San Diego track hosts its first Breeders’ Cup in 2017.
Del Mar President and CEO Joe Harper, along with other track officials, will be at Santa Anita this week on an early ‘scouting trip’ in order to help them make future plans for when Del Mar hosts the event for the first time.
“This is the first Breeders’ Cup for us that we know we have one coming up,” Harper told the U-T San Diego. “We’ll pay a lot closer attention to details at Santa Anita. They’ve done such a terrific job when they’ve had it there. It’s a terrific racetrack. They do it right. We’re fortunate to have them to key off of.”
Both Keeneland, which will host the Breeders’ Cup in 2015, and Del Mar are new to the Breeders’ Cup hosting rotation. Harper mentioned to the U-T San Diego that he felt that Keeneland hosting the event first would give Del Mar an advantage.
“Keeneland and Del are similar in management styles,” Harper said. “It’s going to be interesting to see it there. It’s going to be a little different Breeders’ Cup. It will be more quality than a quantity.”
“You want to make the most of the people you get and give them the best experience you can, rather than just going for a higher and higher number,” Harper continued. “I think they’re more interested in the quality of the presentation and the quality of the facility.”