Del Mar or Saratoga?
 

Del Mar is up against it here so I gotta put up this opening day pic for Del Mar.

Is there a question here? For me it's not a competion as they compliment each other with some mighty fine racing.

Both offer quality stock this time of year. Weather can play a factor at both tracks. I play them both, albeit selectively as I do with every track - that is, I don't play every race.it will be interesting to see how DM races fill with all the issues SA had.

Del Mar or Saratoga?

I answered both. Agree with previous poster. They are both fantastic, Saratoga more pure horsey and has superior racing imo and Del Mar-can go to the beach in the morning, track doesn't start til 2...It is a win win situation.

Saratoga for racing, hands down, but I love both. I've been alternating for the last five years but with the BC at Del Mar this year I'm going back to back. I'll make it up to Saratoga next year!

Women..........DMR Hands down.
Racing ...........SAR.

Saratoga. Because it runs earlier in the day.

Saratoga has better racing but is an uncomfortable dump. Del Mar is a far better experience for the fan.

Been to both many times, never felt either was uncomfortable, and certainly never felt like I was in a dump at Saratoga.

It's definitely not Del Mar. They already have entries for their opening day and without fail the person pretending to be a real racing secretary carded $14-16k race as part of their late Pick-4.

There is no way I am going to spend a penny on this garbage! Mind you, out of 7 decent races with purses above $60K, that POS feels obliged to feed his racing insiders so they can score with public' money. What a parasite! And this is despite that last year opening day at Del Mar without claiming(fake) races in late P-4 brought in over a million dollars.

NOTE: all claiming races are insider races. This is the primary reason why racing is in death spiral, people don't play them. This is a simple fact.

Mr. Pickpocket/Purse snatcher, since it's such a "simple fact" that claiming races are ALL insider events, you should have no problem giving an easy explanation of why you believe this is so....

Weren't the claiming races DOMINATING the racecards back when the game was in its hey-day? I recall reading Ainslie 30 years ago...when he called the claiming races, the competent player's "bread and butter".

IMO...the game's steep decline is due to entirely different reasons.

I don't know about the insider part, but today's claiming races barely resemble those of 30 years ago. There are too many conditions, there is no longer "jail" time, and the purses far outweigh the claiming tags. Noe of these things are bettor friendly at all.

opening day
 

Both for me
I will be back at Saratoga for the first time in about 5 years this August
I love Del Mar. I live just north of the track in Cardiff By The Sea. Del Mar opening day is unbelievable. I have never really bet seriously at Del Mar
It's more a fun day out in the beautiful California sunshine looking at the pretty women. I can always be found hanging around the walking ring looking at the people
For racing = Saratoga
For a fun day at the track. = Del Mar

Both are special places

Binder

Both for me also
 

I look forward to returning when I can. Maybe take a trip next year with CJ and his lovely wife.

They are different but equally exciting to me. The only drawback is the number of catastrophic injuries that have happened over the last few years.

Del Mar has been an extermination camp since they took out the Polytrack. Hopefully they bring it back at some point.

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.

Been gambling here around for 10 solid years........times 4. There was a time that this was a serious question. Saratoga has been watered down a bit by meet extension but only the best run here......the best owners, the best horses, the best trainers, the best jocks. Del Mar is a skeleton of its past glory. Anyone that's anybody (horses included) wants to compete and win in Toga. Its almost as bad as an "A" and "B" league now barring the biggest days at Del Mar, even then some of their best stock winds up here. American Pharoah, Arrogate, and apparently now Songbird is racing here. Arguably, the best horses of this generation.........the quality of the product is not even close. The competition on the grass courses , Jeez, look who shows up at Saratoga and Arlington, Del Mar is fading more almost every season. That anyone even refers to Saratoga as a dump, is just internet ignorance.......its the freaking "Mecca" of American Horse Racing right now. Or what's left of the "glory years". Between the spring ,summer and fall (with a few exceptions)....NY racing is practically keeping this game on the map or alive at all. Its an embarrassment that the game doesn't hold any Breeders Cups at Belmont....but I guess they have to throw California a bone every year.......they won't admit it but they know that entire program is almost on life support. :popcorn:

This isn't just bias, its the reality of the game right now. Anyone that can't see it is either delusional, in denial or blind. I'll be sure I hammer that 3 horse feature on their 7 race card..........if the day isn't canceled all together.......:lol:

Short term, sure. Long term, technology marches on and synthetic surfaces will get better and better.

Cost too much to put in and replace every 7 years. Bases wear out as well. Cost of maintenance 3 times as much as maintaining a dirt surface.

If you look back at the cards of 15-20 years ago, you would not believe it is Saratoga today. The cards at Saratoga are more a continuation of Belmont with some Stake races thrown in. Saratoga used to have great racing almost every day, but due to the changes in racing over the years,I don't think that is possible.

Love them both.

I'm a New York circuit fan, and a west coast spot player, so Saratoga is my favorite.

I voted Saratoga, but it was close. The racing used to be way better but super trainers and statebreds have made it closer.

Saratoga, New York people are just better than Californians.

Dont like Ny bred races but do like the jump races. Im hoping some euros come in early to Del mar for the breeders cup. Its close but I voted Del Mar.

Just not better looking though...:cool:

The card Thursday at Del Mar may be the worse I've ever seen. If this were boxing this thread might be stopped in the first round.

CLM
CLM
MSW Cal Bred
MCL
CLM
MSW Cal Bred
ALW (5f on turf)
MCL

Completely agree! I am very high on Arms Runner and want to see him go 2 turns but the rest of the card:puke::puke::puke:

Arms Runner is Wednesday I believe.

Thankfully, Climate Change will sink both of those states and "people". :p:rip:

End of story. Saratoga is the preeminent thoroughbred meeting in North America.
Done and Done.

Lemme tell ya. There is plenty of eye candy at The Spa....More than one would believe

Dump?
Oh....How so? Or are you being intentionally obtuse?
Usage of words such as "dump" when describing Saratoga Race Course does little for your credibility.

You should've stuck to your last post, "Done and Done" concerning the racing at Saratoga, since it's no contest. However, you've obviously never been to Del Mar, or you wouldn't have made the above reference to the "eye candy"......Del Mar is vastly superior in climate and beautiful clientele. Saratoga has superior racing and a rustic, nostalgic charm that can be found nowhere else, IMO...

I grew up in Saratoga been going every year since I was 2. Been to Delmar a bunch. Here's the breakdown.

Racing Quality: Saratoga by far. Though I do agree with the earlier poster that noted that lately the Spa has been for a few years filling cards with state bred and lower level claiming races which would have never been carded when I was a kid.

Women: Delmar by far.

Food on track: Saratoga.

Ambience: Delmar.

Facility: Delmar.

On-track analysis: Saratoga

Paddock access: Delmar

Infield experience: Delmar. Saratoga does not have that.

Food outside the track: Delmar

Racing knowledge of patrons and in town: Saratoga by far.

Saratoga lives and breathes racing. If you wake up thinking about racing and go to bed thinking about racing, then the Spa is for you.

In Delmar, the racing is less important and it is more about the social experience and atmosphere. In sum, it depends on what you are looking for when you go to the track.

Yes,Saratoga is old, decrepit, has terrible sightlines, bad weather, and is overcrowded.

I guess some of you like that sort of thing. Personally I view it as similar to the old Boston Garden- an old facility with plenty of history but not a great place to actually watch a sports event.

Old stuff is vastly overrated in this world.

IMO,that is the best breakdown,I have ever seen in the comparison of the two tracks. Well stated.

Del Mar has a more modern fan-friendly feel. The SPA structure that contains the stands is over 100 years old-this is why most people rather sit in the grounds. Del Mar’s was completely demolished and rebuilt in the 1990s. Sure it’s nice to have attendants in the Saratoga restrooms handing you a towel, but that’s not the way things run these days. People want spacious modern stadiums, with large restrooms and shiny concession areas.
There’s no way the city of Saratoga Springs would vote to fund a new track, even though that track has been a windfall for them in terms of attracting retirees, which seems to be America’s number one business these days. A few years ago, they didn’t even vote to allow casinos, and there was a casino in Saratoga Springs before Las Vegas. . They wouldn’t vote to build a bridge across the Mohawk river, even if there wasn’t one there.
So NYRA would have to do it but putting all that money into a stadium just so you can do business there for 7 weeks is going to be a hard sell with Gordon Gekko at the helm.

Not even close. All this talk of women, this is a horse racing site right?

I feel the same way many others do here. The racing is far and away the best in the country. Some say the atmosphere is better at Delmar, but give me the backyard at saratoga any day. Fan experience is simply better when you can bring in your own food and beverage. Add to that, if you are in town it isnt a matter of what you are doing that day but rather what time are you getting to the track.

It is a racing town, every aspect of it. Add to that the dining, nightlife, and concerts at SPAC and I dont even see how you can make a comparison.

So nobody goes there anymore because it's too crowded? Thanks Yogi.

If you're at your house or OTB just wagering, Saratoga is an easy winner. But let's face it---most of us (Dilanesp excluded) would love to be at either track for about a month, just hanging out and betting. That's what it's all about.

Out of curiosity when's the last time you were at Saratoga?