Music historians recognize the late Bing Crosby as the industry's original laid-back crooner.
However, if Bing were alive today, he'd be singin' the blues about the current horse racing meet named in his honor.
Bing Crosby Season, a syrupy way Del Mar markets its fall season, is striking mostly sour notes.
Racetrack management yesterday canceled its Thursday card for the second time in as many weeks.
Cancellation of the November 21 and November 28 (Thanksgiving Day) eight-race programs reduces the number of racing days in Del Mar's boutique meet from 15 to 13.
Skeptics place an emphasis on the first syllable in boutique (BOO-teek) to voice displeasure after the racetrack issued a press release to explain the curious cancellations.
Del Mar management cited a weather forecast, which predicted rain five or six days in advance, for the decision to abort the Thursday programs.
Call it a trifecta of fake news, propaganda and downright deception.
Never before in the 82-year history of Del Mar racing, dating to 1937 when Bing Crosby's voice dominated the radio and television airwaves, has racing been canceled at Del Mar due to inclement weather.
The stormy weather was a convenient excuse for a much bigger problem with California racing: a severe shortage of healthy horses.
Why the parade of four and five-horse fields in southern California?
Some are blaming an unsafe racing surface at Santa Anita Park where 30 horses met their demise during a marathon meet last winter and spring.
Others say the real problem involves the fragile nature of overmedicated horses participating in cutthroat competition.
Still others blame recent pressure from animal activist groups that cause weak racetrack administrations to make rash decisions and adopt overreaching policies.
Again, why is Del Mar canceling two important racing dates from its fall meet?
Stormy weather, according to the racetrack's Twitter feed.
Total nonsense.
And the lame excuse is emblematic of an industry unable and unwilling to confront its problems or deal with the truth while simultaneously deceiving its customer base.
Not surprisingly, SoCal-based trainer Peter Miller has sent a string of 25 horses to Churchill Downs.
Fellow trainers Doug O'Neill, Phil D'Amato and Bob Hess, Jr. are looking for opportunities elsewhere.
Jock Martin Garcia has moved his tack to Kentucky while Joe Talamo will ride the upcoming meet at Oaklawn Park.
Only 46 horses competed on last Friday's eight-race card after 18 scratches decimated the November 22 program.
And the most disturbing number of all from last Friday's action: Only 2,275 patrons passed through the Del Mar turnstiles where Bing Crosby once greeted a huge crowd and a nationwide television audience (NBC) during Opening Day festivities in 1937.
It's time for California's horse racing leaders to demand stricter drug policies and fewer racing dates, a pair of obvious initiatives aimed to offer a quality product free from corruption, contamination and catastrophe.
Del Mar can launch the California comeback by telling the simple truth.
Or it can continue to live the lie that has become California racing.
However, if Bing were alive today, he'd be singin' the blues about the current horse racing meet named in his honor.
Bing Crosby Season, a syrupy way Del Mar markets its fall season, is striking mostly sour notes.
Racetrack management yesterday canceled its Thursday card for the second time in as many weeks.
Cancellation of the November 21 and November 28 (Thanksgiving Day) eight-race programs reduces the number of racing days in Del Mar's boutique meet from 15 to 13.
Skeptics place an emphasis on the first syllable in boutique (BOO-teek) to voice displeasure after the racetrack issued a press release to explain the curious cancellations.
Del Mar management cited a weather forecast, which predicted rain five or six days in advance, for the decision to abort the Thursday programs.
Call it a trifecta of fake news, propaganda and downright deception.
Never before in the 82-year history of Del Mar racing, dating to 1937 when Bing Crosby's voice dominated the radio and television airwaves, has racing been canceled at Del Mar due to inclement weather.
The stormy weather was a convenient excuse for a much bigger problem with California racing: a severe shortage of healthy horses.
Why the parade of four and five-horse fields in southern California?
Some are blaming an unsafe racing surface at Santa Anita Park where 30 horses met their demise during a marathon meet last winter and spring.
Others say the real problem involves the fragile nature of overmedicated horses participating in cutthroat competition.
Still others blame recent pressure from animal activist groups that cause weak racetrack administrations to make rash decisions and adopt overreaching policies.
Again, why is Del Mar canceling two important racing dates from its fall meet?
Stormy weather, according to the racetrack's Twitter feed.
Total nonsense.
And the lame excuse is emblematic of an industry unable and unwilling to confront its problems or deal with the truth while simultaneously deceiving its customer base.
Not surprisingly, SoCal-based trainer Peter Miller has sent a string of 25 horses to Churchill Downs.
Fellow trainers Doug O'Neill, Phil D'Amato and Bob Hess, Jr. are looking for opportunities elsewhere.
Jock Martin Garcia has moved his tack to Kentucky while Joe Talamo will ride the upcoming meet at Oaklawn Park.
Only 46 horses competed on last Friday's eight-race card after 18 scratches decimated the November 22 program.
And the most disturbing number of all from last Friday's action: Only 2,275 patrons passed through the Del Mar turnstiles where Bing Crosby once greeted a huge crowd and a nationwide television audience (NBC) during Opening Day festivities in 1937.
It's time for California's horse racing leaders to demand stricter drug policies and fewer racing dates, a pair of obvious initiatives aimed to offer a quality product free from corruption, contamination and catastrophe.
Del Mar can launch the California comeback by telling the simple truth.
Or it can continue to live the lie that has become California racing.
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