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Del Mar’s backstretch area has provided safe haven for more than 800 horses escaping a wind-blown, fast-moving fire that ripped through the North County area of San Diego Thursday.

The first group of horses arrived at the Del Mar Fairgrounds late Thursday afternoon and vans continued to flow in throughout the night. By Friday morning more than 800 head – both Thoroughbreds and other breeds — had been bedded down in the 40-plus barns located on the grounds that are capable of holding as many as 1,600 horses. Other animals, including goats and pigs, also were brought on board to the 350-acre Fairgrounds.

Approximately 250 of the 450 horses that had been stabled at the San Luis Rey training center just over 30 miles to the northwest of Del Mar had been moved to the Fairgrounds after that facility was hit directly by the fire with as many as 30 horses deaths reported and several of their barns burned. There were reports of a few human injuries, but no deaths at the Bonsall location.

The Southern California Equine Foundation’s hospital located on the Del Mar backstretch was to be opened and manned later today.

Del Mar has received a huge outpouring of individuals offering to aid the rescued animals and many of them are being put to work with the animals in the stable area.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and 22nd District Agricultural Association officials have an ongoing list of needs for the horses and individuals involved that is posted on their website. It can be found at 

Dec 8, 2017

DONATIONS SOUGHT TO HELP THOSE IMPACTED BY SAN LUIS REY DOWNS TRAINING CENTER FIRE; ‘GO FUND ME’ ACCOUNT CREATED AND MUCH-NEEDED CLOTHING FOR DISPLACED WORKERS TO BE COLLECTED AT SANTA ANITA

The Stronach Group (TSG), in conjunction with Santa Anita Park and The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, has established a GoFundMe account page to help pay for hospital and rehabilitative costs incurred by those injured in yesterday’s devastating Lilac Fire, which engulfed San Luis Rey Downs Training Center in northern San Diego County. Additionally, Santa Anita is now in the process of collecting clothing items for the dozens of stable workers who were forced to flee yesterday’s flames.

The fire, fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, was first reported at approximately 11:30 a.m. PT near Interstate 15 and state Route 76, to the east of San Luis Rey Downs. The resulting conflagration at the training center, which housed nearly 500 Thoroughbreds, has resulted in numerous injuries, equine and human, as well as an undetermined number of equine deaths.

Due to the heroic efforts of workers and first responders, all remaining horses have now been evacuated from San Luis Rey Downs, with the majority now stabled at Del Mar, which is 35 miles to the south.

All of us here at IdaBet.com pray for everyone’s safety (humans and animals alike) during this difficult time.

Please donate what you can.

Los Alamitos Race Course has cancelled its live daytime Thoroughbred racing program scheduled for Friday, Dec. 8.

The decision to cancel the daytime racing program was made due to the tragic fire that swept through the San Luis Rey Downs training center in San Diego County. Several barns were destroyed by the fast-moving flames and an unknown number of horses did not survive.

“This is a tragic blow to the California Thoroughbred racing industry and of great sorrow to everyone,” said Jack Liebau, vice-president of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “We express our sympathy to the owners, trainers and caretakers of the horses victimized by this tragic event. We salute those who so bravely attempted to safeguard horses at San Luis Rey Downs in face of the swiftly approaching fire as well as those who transported horses to Del Mar under hazardous conditions and those who went to Del Mar to aid the horses moved there.” 

Just wanted to drop a reminder  to our IdaBet players that Zia Park will conduct their final week of live racing for 2017 this Saturday, Dec. 9 through Tuesday, Dec. 12.   A huge thanks to everyone for making the 2017 Zia Park race season a success and thank you for choosing IdaBet!

There will be a mandatory payout of the Super Hi 5 pool on the final day of live racing, Tuesday, December 12.  Current carryover stands at $3,851.

Mr. Opportunist, the longest shot in the field at 23-1, battled back after being passed in deep stretch to win the $47,580 feature on a windy Thursday at Los Alamitos.

Making his first start as a gelding and first since being claimed for $40,000 Sept. 17 by trainer Craig Dollase for owner Mark Mathiesen , the 4-year-old son of Tale of the Cat was never far off the pace, gained a slim lead at the head of the stretch, was overtaken on the inside the final sixteenth by 5-2 second choice Sheer Flattery, but found renewed energy to prevail by a head.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Mr. Opportunist, who had lost seven in a row since capturing the three-horse Desert Code Stakes May 7, 2016 when trained by John Sadler, completed the mile in 1:36.75 and paid $49, $12.60 and $7.

The victory was worth $27,000 for Mr. Opportunist, who is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Far Out Freebie, and pushed his career bankroll to $131,190.

Sheer Flattery, who had a perfect trip stalking the pace, returned $3.60 and $2.60 while finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of 3-1 third choice Image of Joplin. The show price on Image of Joplin, who was seeking his third consecutive win, was $3.20.

Completing the order of finish were Donworth, the 3-2 favorite in his initial try as a gelding, Lucky J Lane, pacesetter Got Even and Friendly Outthedor.

Jockeys Drayden Van Dyke and Geovanni Franco both doubled Thursday.

Van Dyke’s wins aboard first time starter Heck Yeah in the sixth and 10-1 shot Thirteen Squared were in tandem with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert while Franco’s victories aboard Get Em Up Scout in the first and Devil’s Beauty in the fourth were for trainer Steve Miyadi.

Through five days of the Winter Meet, apprentice Evin Roman, who was the leading rider at the Summer Thoroughbred Festival in July and the Los Angeles County Fair meet in September, tops the standings with seven wins.

Baffert and Genaro Vallejo share the...