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The Remarkable History of Del Mar Racetrack: From Bing Crosby and Seabiscuit to San Diego Icon

By Hedda ParashosAugust 31, 2026

In the summer of 1938, two horses ran a match race at a brand-new California track while millions listened live on NBC Radio. That moment put Del Mar on the map — and the racetrack has shaped the identity of San Diego's North County coast ever since. Here's how it all started.

On a warm August evening in 1938, a crowd packed the grandstands of a one-year-old racetrack perched near the Southern California coast. Millions more sat by their radios. NBC was broadcasting a horse race live for the first time in American history, and the two horses about to run were Seabiscuit and an Argentine champion named Ligaroti. The track hosting this moment was Del Mar — barely a year old, built on a dream cooked up by a Hollywood crooner and a stockbroker who thought California deserved something extraordinary.

That race is central to the remarkable history of Del Mar Racetrack: From Bing Crosby and Seabiscuit to San Diego Icon. But the full story starts three years earlier, about 100 miles north, when everything changed.

How Santa Anita Sparked a Rivalry

When Santa Anita Park opened outside Los Angeles in 1934, it drew enormous crowds and proved that elite thoroughbred racing had a serious future in California. Stockbroker William Quigley took note. He saw an opportunity to bring that same energy south, closer to San Diego, and began putting together a plan for a coastal track.

To make it work, he needed a name that carried weight. He found one in Bing Crosby, already one of the most recognizable entertainers in America. Crosby wasn't just a celebrity backer lending his face to the project. He was genuinely involved, personally invested in creating something that blended the glamour of Hollywood with the laid-back spirit of the Southern California coast.

Together, Quigley and Crosby chose a site in the small coastal community of Del Mar, about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego. Construction moved quickly, and the track opened for its first meet in July 1937. Crosby's famous greeting, "Where the turf meets the surf," wasn't just a slogan. From the upper grandstand on a clear day, you could see the Pacific.

The Race That Put Del Mar on the National Map

The track's second summer delivered the moment that cemented its reputation. Seabiscuit was already a national sensation by 1938 — a scrappy underdog horse that Depression-era Americans had adopted as a symbol of resilience. His owner, Charles Howard, agreed to a winner-take-all match race against Ligaroti, a strong Argentine-bred horse also co-owned by Bing Crosby's brother.

The terms were simple and dramatic: one race, straight up, $25,000 to the winner. NBC Radio carried it live, reaching an audience that stretched coast to coast. Seabiscuit won by a nose, and the broadcast gave Del Mar Racetrack a national profile that most tracks took decades to earn.

The remarkable history of Del Mar Racetrack: From Bing Crosby and Seabiscuit to San Diego Icon is, in many ways, the story of that single summer afternoon multiplied across 85 years of racing seasons that followed.

What the Track Became — and What It Means Now

Del Mar Racetrack has operated as one of California's premier summer racing venues ever since. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club runs the annual summer meet, typically opening in mid-July. The 2026 Opening Day is scheduled for July 17, with major races and events running through the season, including the San Diego Handicap and the Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Handicap.

The track draws visitors from across Southern California and beyond, but it does something more important for residents: it anchors the identity of the entire North County coastal corridor. The villages of Solana Beach and Encinitas to the north, and communities stretching toward La Jolla to the south, all benefit from the cultural weight that Del Mar Racetrack lends to this stretch of coastline.

For anyone trying to understand why Del Mar commands the real estate premiums it does, the history matters. Bing Crosby didn't build a track in a place that was already famous. He helped make it famous. The architecture, the tradition, the annual rhythm of racing season — all of it layers onto a coastal location that already had natural advantages, and the combination has proven durable for nearly nine decades.

If you want to explore more about what makes San Diego's coastal communities tick, the Palisade Realty blog covers local history, market insights, and neighborhood context throughout the region.

The remarkable history of Del Mar Racetrack: From Bing Crosby and Seabiscuit to San Diego Icon isn't just a fun piece of trivia. It's a window into how a place gets its character — and why that character holds value long after the original visionaries are gone.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Del Mar Racetrack open, and who founded it?

Del Mar Racetrack opened in July 1937. Stockbroker William Quigley and entertainer Bing Crosby co-founded it, inspired by the success of Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles, which had opened three years earlier in 1934.

What was the Seabiscuit race at Del Mar, and why was it significant?

In August 1938, Seabiscuit ran a winner-take-all match race against Ligaroti at Del Mar for a $25,000 purse. NBC Radio broadcast the race live nationwide, making it the first thoroughbred race ever carried on national radio. Seabiscuit won by a nose, and the broadcast gave Del Mar Racetrack an immediate national reputation.

When does Del Mar Racetrack hold its summer meet?

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club runs its annual summer meet starting in mid-July each year. The 2026 season opens July 17, featuring major races like the San Diego Handicap and the Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Handicap, along with special events throughout the season. Check the track's official calendar for updated schedules and details.

Source: americasbestracing.net