by Steve Schuelein

A perfect ten and flying money for a jockey were the themes of $75,000-added divisions of the Oceanside Stakes for three-year-olds that highlighted opening day of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club meeting before a record 43,459 on-track fans on Wednesday.

Kilderry won the first division in the faster time of 1:35.45 for one mile on firm turf wearing saddle cloth ten. The gelding was a perfect hunch since the winner’s circle presentation was made by actress Bo Derek, best known for her role in the movie “10.”

Derek was named a commissioner on the California Horse Racing Board earlier in the week.

Kilderry, the 5.30-to-1 fourth choice making his stakes debut under Rafael Bejarano, rallied from eighth to nip eastern import Moral Compass by a nose. Kilderry won for the third time in four starts since being claimed for $100,000 in April by trainer Mike Mitchell and transferred to turf.

Dixie Chatter captured the second division in 1:35.81 by a half-length over Mr Keppel (Ire) and survived a stewards’ inquiry over the stretch run. The victory was sweet for jockey Richard Migliore, who is returning to his New York home for the Saratoga meeting next week after 1 ½ years on the California circuit.

Dixie Chatter, the 6.50-to-1 third choice making his grass debut, won for the first time since capturing the Norfolk Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park in September.

“He looked like a horse who would like turf, and why not build up his confidence and mine too getting ready for the Del Mar Derby (G2)?” said trainer Richard Mandella of the $400,000 grass race August 31.  

More general attention was paid to five races run on a revamped Polytrack synthetic surface on the main track, the second year the track has raced on it.

“I could not have been happier the way the Polytrack played,” Del Mar President Joe Harper said after those races were run safely but faster than last year and more in line with dirt-track times in previous years. “Times were where we wanted them. We didn‘t want it lightning fast. Safety is still the first issue.”

Track officials experimented with a new wax and a watering system between meets and applied water once between races during the afternoon.

Attendance was the highest for an opening day in the 69-year history of the track and second overall, up over 42,842 last year and trailing only the 44,181 figure for the 1996 Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) with Cigar. Total handle, however, was $13,886,528, down from $15,297,608 on opening day last year.

Harper was happy with the attendance but expressed concern with a slumping economy for the meet.

“Opening day has a life of its own,” said Harper. “I estimated we would get 40,000. When we get into the middle of the meet, we will have a better idea of the impact of the economy.”

Steve Schuelein is a California-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent