The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club sits on the bluffs above Del Mar beach, twenty miles north of San Diego, in a setting that genuinely earns the phrase "where the turf meets the surf." The Pacific is visible from the grandstand; on breezy afternoons the sea wind comes straight off the water across the track.
Racing runs from late July through early September (summer meet) and November through December (fall meet). The track's opening day in late July is a social event with a formal fashion contest — hats and dresses are taken seriously. The Bing Crosby Stakes and the Pacific Classic are the two signature races of the summer season.
The grandstand architecture is Mission Revival from the original 1937 construction, substantially expanded but maintaining the red-tile-roof character. The track is 20 minutes north of San Diego by car or 30 minutes on the Coaster commuter train, which stops directly at the racetrack.