Del Mar Opens With Large Crowd; Jockey Blanc Injured

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The throng of race fans who showed up for opening day at Del Mar got a little bit of everything Wednesday.

--They saw acrobats perform in the paddock, gawked at large, colorful hats and swooned when the Pick 6 paid out more than $151,000.

--Track officials were beaming after they learned that 33,526 people took the afternoon off from work and celebrated the return of racing at Del Mar.

--The afternoon almost got off on the wrong foot when two horses went down in the second race. Walts Wharf, ridden by Tyler Baze, clipped the heels of Gin Running, ridden by Brice Blanc. Baze and the two horses were uninjured but Blanc was taken to a hospital where he was treated for chest and knee bruises.

--Baze returned later in the day to win the second division of the Oceanside Stakes aboard favorite Dr. Park. The horse stormed down the lane and easily passed runner-up foreign invader Euribor.

In the first division of the Oceanside, longshot Sigfreto stunned onlookers by rallying for an $80.40 win payoff.

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