And They're Off

The History and Horses of the Racetrack at Del Mar

On Mondays from July 16 through September 3, theNAT will be giving away free clubhouse tickets to the Del Mar racetrack ($10 value!) with a Museum admission purchase (valid for general admission and/or Titanic) and for any Museum members who visit theNAT on Mondays.

Offer available while supplies last, first-come, first-served; limit one ticket per paid or Member admission. 

For 75 years, Del Mar has hosted some of racing’s most iconic horses and horsemen and has brought the thrill of the race to millions of fans. This year, the Del Mar season runs July 18 through September 5.

Joe Harper, CEO of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club  (DMTC), says

“Horses are at the very core of what America is all about. They are a large part of our history and they live on with us today as both symbol and reality of all the things that are good and true and strong in our society.”

The San Diego Natural History Museum will be displaying iconic photographs from the DMTC's historic collection.

In this special San Diego-only section of The Horse , you will:

• Discover the beginnings of Del Mar, thanks to Bing Crosby, the late Rancho Santa Fe resident and racing aficionado, who partnered with movie star friends and investors to build the one-mile racetrack in 1937.
• Learn about the 1938 match race at Del Mar between the legendary Seabiscuit and South American champion Ligaroti.
• "Meet" the famous and statuesque Zenyatta, the champion racemare and only horse to win Del Mar's prestigious Clement L. Hirsch Stakes three years in a row (2010-09-08). On Facebook, Zenyatta has over 100,000 likes.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and theNAT have developed special activities in support of The Horse including Racetrack Clubhouse ticket giveaways for Museum patrons on special partner days and a special Race Sponsorship Day, when an actual race will be named in honor of The Horse . Keep an eye on theNAT’s Facebook page for the latest information!