The 87th summer racing season at the Del Mar Racetrack opened Friday with people from San Diego and beyond gathering to celebrate horse racing amid an atmosphere buzzing with enthusiasm.
Exotic hats. Vibrant dresses. Charming suits. The almost 90-year-old tradition, which the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club said brings in more than 20,000 people, is attended by some for the fashion, others for the horses and betting, but also those especially looking forward to the community.
New horses, faces as Del Mar’s summer season begins with opening day
While they awaited the main event where horses with names such as Mighty Kai and Looks Like N Angel were expected to compete, hundreds of people strutted into a plaza next to the racetrack showcasing unique hat wear. The only thing missing was a red carpet.
The hats ranged from custom and handmade to designer. Some were simplistic, others were 3 feet tall. The hats weren’t for the sun. They were for artistic expression.
The tradition of wearing a hat on Opening Day at Del Mar continues before the start of the first race on Friday, July 17, 2026, in Del Mar, CA. Left to right, Jenny Deddeh of El Cajon, Lana Klein of Poway, Neusha Paktinat of Irvine, Beatriz Andrade of Laguna Niguel, Mya Risheq of Newport Beach, and Olena Nalivkina of Alpine. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Inside the arena, on level three of the grandstand seating, looking out at the racetrack, was a group of women wearing on-theme hats and elegant dresses. They were celebrating their friend’s 55th birthday.
They know each other from working together as attorneys and remained friends. One friend gifted another friend a blinged-out pen for writing out her bets on the races.
The recipient of the pen was Christine Hall, who was at opening day for the second time, though she’s attended the racing season on other occasions.
Hall said the atmosphere and hats are what set the anticipated opening day apart.
For others, though, it was not about the fashion at all. On level two in the VIP section, looking out to the center of the racetrack, there was a man dressed in a black cut-off muscle T-shirt, cargo shorts, sneakers and a hat that said “NYPD” — a look that stood out among the summer and pastel colors.
“Do I look like I’m here for the fashion?” said Paul Martino, a New Yorker.
Martino said he lives between the Big Apple and Los Angeles. But he’s been going to Del Mar’s opening day for the past 25 years. Not because he likes Del Mar, but because he loves the challenge in betting, he said.
Del Mar, CA – Attendees wait in line to place bets during Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack on Friday, July 17, 2026, in Del Mar, CA. (Brandon Pollard / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
A walk inside the building housing the track-side seating, away from the action and on the plaza terrace, people could be found socializing, eating and drinking about 20 minutes before the first race. Toward the corner end of the terrace was a couple whose heads were buried in racing books to research the horses before betting.
It’s a science to Joseph and Autumn Dagostino from Pacific Beach, who said they have gone to opening day for about 10 years. While they said they find the pageantry and best horses from around the world captivating, the Dagostinos see the art of opening day in the betting.
“I’m looking at where [the horses are] from,” Autumn said, who researches the horses before each race. “They got souls. You’re looking at how well they run, where they run, how old they are and who’s their mom.”
She and Joseph consider factors others may not, such as whether the horse is tired from traveling or if the jockey is having a bad day.
“There’s a lot of variables; however, you can approach it in an intelligent manner,” Joseph said.
Opening day is also an acknowledgment of history, Joseph said.
In recognition of Bing Crosby, who co-founded the track in 1937 and is known for his renditions of popular Christmas songs, the track’s theme song, “Where The Turf Meets The Surf,” was played.
“It’s nostalgic,” Joseph said. “There’s pictures of [Crosby] on the walls. This is his legacy. To live in that era was amazing; it takes you back in time. We’re proud to live in San Diego.”