Between July and September each summer, the nation's top racehorses, trainers, and jockeys compete for triumph in the Southern Californian sunshine! There's little more guaranteed to get your heart pumping than watching your chosen filly hurtling along the turf, past the rest of the field towards the winning post.
From the season full of exciting races and how to bet on them to trackside events and weekly specials and more, read on to learn about what you can expect to see when you visit the Del Mar Racetrack in 2025!
Grand Stands at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
The Grand Stands and Racetrack
When you arrive you’ll instantly be welcomed into the 6-story grand stands. There you’ll find a variety of seating options including Clubhouse and Stretch Run boxes, Stretch Run reserved seating, Suites, Turf Club tables, and sixth floor Skyrooms.
You’ll be treated to dining options from the Seaside Tropical Cabana on the ground floor to the Il Palio Restaurant on the sixth floor. On each floor, you'll also find plenty of places to grab a coffee or snacks.
The Del Mar racetrack itself is exactly 1 mile (1.609 km) long, so there's plenty of room to get close to the action. If you buy a general admission ticket, you won’t have a grand stand seat, but you will have access to walk around and stand along the racetrack below the grand stands.
What is the Schedule for Summer Horse Racing Events in 2025?
Multiple races take place most Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the 2025 season.
A full calendar of races is available on the club’s official website. There are also a few standout races held each year that are especially exciting.
What are the Top Horse Racing Events in Summer 2025?
All the races and fanfare on Opening Day qualify as top-level events for the Summer Season.
Fans also won't want to miss the most famous race at Del Mar, the Pacific Classic Day set for Saturday, August 30th. The Pacific Classic has a whopping $1,000,000 prize and serves as a qualifier for the equally prestigious Breeders' Cup World Championships. That event is scheduled for the fall meet at the Del Mar Racetrack on Friday, October 31st and Saturday, November 1st, 2025.
How Do I Bet on the Horse Races During the Summer 2025 Season?
I think a lot of the fun of going to the Del Mar Racetrack is picking your favorite horse and making a bet or two! You can use handicapping, the free program at the track or other tools to assist, or you can just go with a hunch and pick the filly with the best looking coat!
Let me also say that we highly suggest you bet small, only what you can happily use, and if you’d rather not place a bet, we completely support that choice!
If you want to place a bet, it’s quite easy. Go to the teller window and let them know the following.
- Which race you want to bet on
- How much you want to bet
- And which horse you want to bet on (the horse will have a number on the saddle)
The tellers are very nice and will help you if you don’t fully understand. They will then give you a ticket and time to watch the race!
If you have a winning ticket, just take it to a self-service machine to get a voucher to keep betting or to a teller to cash out your winnings!
What Kind of Bets Can I Make at the Del Mar Horse Racetrack?
The simplest three bets are the ‘Win’, ‘Place’ and ‘Show’. The ‘Win’ is betting on the horse to ‘win’ or come in first place. The ‘Show’ is betting on the horse to come in first or second place. The ‘Show’ is betting on a horse to come in first, second, or third place.
You can also make ‘Exacta’, ‘Trifecta’ and ‘Superfecta’ as well as bets like the ‘Rolling Double’ and ‘Pick Four’ to name a few!
Each comes with odds, generally speaking the more unlikely the bet or the horse, the lower the odds of winning but the higher the payout will be if you win!
What Purses Are Projected for the 2025 Summer Season?
The 2025 Del Mar Summer Racing Season will include about 300 races with overnight purses projected to be $15.7 million which is 8% higher than 2024! This includes 38 stake races worth $7,825,000!* *
Are There Handicappers to Help at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club?
Yes, there are several Handicappers at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club offering you analysis, analytics, and quick picks designed to help you figure out which horses you want to bet on.
Although this information is always subject to change, the featured 2025 independent handicappers are listed below.
- Brad Free DRF
- Frank Scatoni
- Today’s Racing Digest
- Deuce Bruce
- Dean Keppler
- California Pick4
Handicapping is essentially calculating advantages in order to provide an equal opportunity for every contestant to win. The handicappers will often take the horse's racing form, breed, and average wins into account.
Weekly Events at the Del Mar Horse Races
The weekly events are set for the exciting 2025 season. Let’s have a look at the highlights!
Weekend Morning Daybreak at Del Mar and Free & Easy Thursdays
I’m excited for the return of ‘Daybreak at Del Mar’, where you can watch workouts while eating breakfast at the track on Saturdays and Sundays. If you’ve never been, my kids love it and I can say that it’s a unique and quiet way to experience the Del Mar Racetrack.
‘Free & Easy Thursdays’ is also back in 2025, where Diamond Club members can enjoy free admission, a free program, and a free seat, plus half-off Michelob Ultra, sodas, and Brandt Beef hot dogs every Thursday.
Taste of the Turf Club on Sundays
Other weekly favorites in 2025 include the ‘Taste of the Turf Club’ set for every Sunday at 2:00pm during the summer season.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Taste of Turf Club from some of the best views in the house as you indulge in Chef Bryn McArthur, Executive Chef of the Amaya at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s ‘farm to table’ menu including bottomless mimosas and screwdrivers!
Tickets are $158 per person.
Turf Club Fridays & Happy Hour!
Turf Club Fridays are $132 per person and include Turf Club admission, two appetizers, two premium drinks, chips, guacamole and a reserved table seat.
Every Friday during the summer season (except Opening Day Friday, July 18th) the track will also offer Del Mar's Signature Drinks & Draft Beers at 50% off until 5:00pm.
The Del Mar 2025 Summer Season Monthly Special Events
The Del Mar Horse Races and Thoroughbred Club will host two seasons in 2025 starting with its main season during the summer months. Events start with the exciting Opening Day events in mid-July and conclude with races held on September 7th.
July Events
July gets the party started with arguably the most anticipated event of the season and also includes one of my favorites, the Beer Fest!
Opening Day
The Del Mar Horse racing season Opening Day presented by Caesars Sportsbook is scheduled for Friday, July 18th , 2025 with gates opening at 11:30am.
I can tell you from friends that make attending an annual tradition that Opening Day is by far the biggest event at the Del Mar Racetrack! The attendees go all out as the women get dressed up in dresses and big hats and the men in their Sunday’s finest attire as well.
Opening Day is famous for the big hats many women wear when they attend. To celebrate, the club holds an ‘Opening Day Hats Contest’ featuring categories like Most Glamorous, Best Racing Theme, Best Flowers, and Best Fascinator.
Opening Day at the track offers even more special events. The Grand features its namesake margarita plus an inside look at the Turf Club, the Space Dust Celebrity Grill has a private party, while The Party presented by Pacifico and After Pony Party offer fun-filled photo booths, buffets, craft beer and cocktail bars, and music curated by a live DJ.
Del Mar Beer Fest
After the excitement of Opening Day Friday settles in, head back to the track for the ‘Del Mar Beer Fest’ presented by San Diego’s own Pizza Port Brewing Co. on Saturday, July 19th. Tickets to the event are $40 and include over 50 beers, ciders, and seltzers with perfect trackside viewing.
There’s also a ‘Betting Challenge’ event on July 26th & 27th and a ‘Data on Us’ event on July 27th, 2025.
August Events
During August, the racetrack hosts a full month of events celebrating art, food, and fun highlighted by the Pacific Classic race at the end of the month! Let’s have a look at what else the month has to offer!
Uncorked: Del Mar Wine Fest
Each week in August offers a special event starting on Saturday, August 2nd where the racetrack will play host to the return of the Uncorked: Del Mar Wine Fest.
The Uncorked Wine Festival features more than 100 wines, food pairing, and a live DJ. Tickets are $79 for admission from 2:00pm until 5:00pm or $95 to get in an hour earlier starting at 1:00pm. Non-drinkers are admitted for $32.
As a local tip, if you love wine like many of my friends, don’t miss the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival 2025 which is scheduled for just after the summer season ends on September 10th until September 14th, 2025.
The Del Mar Tacos & Tequila Festival
One of my favorite San Diego tours is the Old Town Tequila and Tacos Walking Tour where guests get a history lesson, tacos, and tequila!
The August 9th ‘Del Mar Tacos & Tequila Festival’ is pretty awesome too! For $60 you get five drink tickets for specialty tequilas, margaritas, and cervezas and two tacos tickets from the best taco shops in San Diego with admission from 1:00pm until 5:00pm. For $44 you can get five drink tickets and admission from 2:00pm until 5:00pm
2025 Breeders’ Cup Tumbler Giveaway Day
If you like free collectables then Saturday, August 16th is your day at the track!
With the 2025 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar set for the fall meet, racing fans will receive a stylish, purple, 16 oz., dual-walled, stainless steel tumbler free with admission.
Taste of New Orleans
Saturday August 23rd is ‘New Orleans Day’ at the Del Mar Racetrack! The Seaside Cabana will host the Mardi Gras-themed special event from 1:00pm until 6:00pm.
The $40 ticket will include live Cajun music from Euphoria Brass Band and the Chunky Hustle Brass Band. Your kids will enjoy a mini parade, the Rad Hatter, and bead vendors. You can also try special drinks like hurricanes, frozen daiquiris, and Abita. Authentic Cajun cuisine will be available for purchase including gumbo, jambalaya, po'boys, beignets, and more!
Pacific Classic Race Day
The Pacific Classic is set for Saturday, August 30th, 2025 and is probably the biggest true race day of the 2025 summer racing season!
Gates open at 11:30am with the first race at 1:30pm. It’s the day of Del Mar’s most prestigious race, the $1,000,000 Pacific Classic. The race which draws the top Thoroughbreds to Del Mar automatically qualifies the winner for the fall meets Breeders' Cup World Championships.
You can also take part in the high-intensity betting of the Pacific Classic Betting Challenge on that day as well.
Family Fun Day’
Wrapping up the August special events at the racetrack on Sunday the 31st is always popular ‘Family Fun Day’.
Scheduled for 12:30pm until 5:30pm at the Seaside Cabana, kids can expect face painting, trampolines, a game zone, rock climbing wall, Pony Boy Mascot Meet & Greet, and my personal favorite food trucks!
September Events
As the summer season draws to a close, let’s have a look at what September has to offer!
College Day
College Day in 2025 is set for Saturday, September 6th and includes free admission for Diamond Club members with a valid student I.D., access to Grand Stand seating, a free $2 bet & tip sheet and $2 off Red Bulls.
Summer Season Closing Day
Sunday September 7th is the last day of the season to enjoy the races and all action. The track will include payouts for all wagers on this day which means everyone is a winner!
Bonus Nearby Events
Keep an eye open for special events at Del Mar Fairgrounds that share the parking lot with the racetrack. Possible special events are listed below!
- Home & garden shows
- Antique shows
- Silver Bay Kennel Club of San Diego
- And the San Diego Cocktail and Spirit Festival