GOLDEN GLIMPSES #41 GOLDEN GLIMPSES #41 DEL MAR COULD HOST BREEDERS' CUP AS EARLY AS 1999
As the sun sinks slowly in the west and Del Mar's 57th season fades into a seaside abyss, the specter of Cigar's defeat remains etched in every horse player's memory.
So what is the next marvelous moment the oceanside organization may orchestrate?
Well, it's not etched in adobe, but it could present the Breeders' Cup as early as1999, according to Craig Fravel, the youthful and expeditious Executive Vice President of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
"The Breeders' Cup is at Hollywood Park next year, but we could have it at Del Mar in 1999 or 2000," Fravel estimated. "Our turf course has to be widened. That's one of the pre-conditions, and we're working on the plans right now. The timing is not that much of a problem. There's not that much work involved. It's not like we have to rebuild the whole course.
"From a number of perspectives, we learned a lot operationally on Pacific Classic day and I think we demonstrated that we're a legitimate facility to present a major racing event. It meant a lot to the San Diego area as well."
For 1996, Fravel figured Del Mar would pretty much break even.
"We did pretty well," Fravel said. "Ever since the Olympics ended, we've been up in attendance almost every day but three, I think. Obviously, Cigar created a hugely positive day.
"Cigar's appearance, once the Olympics ended, helped bring us back into focus and put us out in front again. It was a good momentum builder for the rest of the meet."
There was no statistical means to measure how many people came back to Del Mar after Cigar ran, however.
"We did have some coupons given to people who didn't get hats that day, and we'll see how many of those get redeemed," Fravel said. "But there's really no specific bounce-back tracking mechanism from that day.
"We'll be down slightly in attendance, but nothing to really worry about. I think had the Olympics not taken place, we'd have been right about even, or maybe up a little bit.
"The handle has been very positive, and I think the more and more we go through these meets, the clearer it becomes that the quality of the racing product is what drives our profitability. That's nothing new.
"It was just neat to see this facility shown off the way it ought to be (on Pacific Classic day). We had people spilling off all these balconies. I've been to the Derby and I've been to the Japan Cup, but Cigar's day rates right up there with major racing experiences.
"The Derby is obviously wonderful, but the one thing the crowd at Churchill Downs can't experience because of the way the building is configured, is to be in the paddock and get a sense of the action."
At Del Mar, that was no problem for some of the record crowd of 44,181 who watched Cigar's 16-race winning streak come to an end on Aug. 10.
And it should be no problem in 1999, either.
THE HOMESTRETCH: Trainer Mike Harrington, on what made him spend $60,000 for his unbeaten Eastern Echo colt, Swiss Yodeler, who went for his sixth victory in the Del Mar Futurity on closing day: "I just liked his looks, mainly. I thought he was an extremely nice colt when I bought him, and for me to pay $60,000 for a horse, I've got to like him. His success so far doesn't really surprise me. What would have surprised me was if I paid that much for a horse and he couldn't run at all. Not only is his conformity good, but he's got a great mind." Harrington, who looks like he just stepped off a Marlboro poster, cowboy hat and all, says Swiss Yodeler may not be the best 2-year-old in his barn. "Swiss is ahead on experience, but on raw ability, I actually think Big Cowboy might do better in the long run.". . . Don't stop the presses, but the Col. Koester Handicap at Oak Tree has been renamed the Oak Tree Mile . . . Brice Blanc, one of the leading riders at Fairplex Park last year, will not be a regular at Pomona during the 19-day meet from Sept. 12-30. "I've been working hard for two straight years," the likable Frenchman said, "and I just need a break." . . . Despite two straight uncharacteristic efforts by Larry The Legend (a fourth and a fifth), owner/trainer Craig Lewis has nominated the colt to the 1997 Santa Anita Handicap . . . C.H. McBrayer, who died at age 79 Thursday, was one of the best trainers nobody ever heard of. The grand old guy could flat-out train, but he was a bit fussy about his handle and preferred being called by his initials, "C.H." His first name? Clarence.
The Running Horse (https://www.isd1.com/alauck)
