I happen to live fairly close to the Del Mar Race Track, one of the best thoroughbred racing venues in the US. It’s a great place to spend a sunny summer afternoon watching fine horses and interesting people. Del Mar was founded in 1937 by some rather well-known celebrities: Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante, Pat O’Brien, Oliver Hardy (of Laurel and Hardy fame) plus one lone horseman, Charles S. Howard. Mr. Howard was one of the most successful Buick dealers of all time, and he just happened to own a horse named Seabiscuit. In fact, the very first live broadcast of a horserace was a match race in 1938 at Del Mar between Seabiscuit and Ligaroti. Seabiscuit won. From the time it opened until the start of the Second World War, Del Mar was where the Hollywood
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