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Colorful hats and a festive atmosphere drew a record crowd at Opening Day at the Del Mar Racetrack.
The 45,309 who came to see and be seen set a high-water mark, easily topping the previous record - 44,907 set on Opening Day in 2009.
Trainer Eric Kruljac, whose horse, North Fork, won the opening race, called Opening Day at Del Mar Racetrack the second most attended social event in Southern California, after the Academy Awards, according to the Los Angeles Times.
And several celebrities were reported to be in attendance, including controversial Miss California, Carrie Prejean, and Oakland Raiders quarterback, Kyle Boller.
The Hats contest had more than 400 entries.
Joe Harper became CEO of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in 1978. He said adding a lot of “crazy things” like hat contests and concerts helped the track break its attendance record. Harper came to Del Mar from Santa Anita where he served as Executive Vice President for the Oak Tree Racing Association.
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North Fork, a 6-year-old California-bred gelding, and jockey Victor Espinoza win the first race of the season in July at the Opening Day at Del Mar Racetrack.
Marla Quinci of Winchester was third in the Best Racing Theme category, with a large hat in the blue and yellow colors of Del Mar’s diamond logo.
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