The gates have opened at the Del Mar Racetrack, marking the official start of the 86th summer racing season. With it comes the annual Hat Contest, among other festivities, which invites attendees from all over San Diego County and beyond to break out their finest attire and best, biggest headgear.
These outlandishly opulent hats aren’t just a visual delight: They’re an emblem of history. The tradition of wearing elaborate hats to horse races dates back as far as the 19th century, as racing was widely considered a high-society sport in England and France. While dressing in highfalutin attire has been the norm since the Del Mar track was opened in 1937 by Bing Crosby, the contest itself didn’t come around until 1995, heavily inspired by the Kentucky Derby. These days, there is no posted dress-code for general entry to the track, but spectators come dressed to the nines anyway.
“More and more people have been getting into it,” said one of the judges, Audrey Pytlik, clad in her own elegant gown and fascinator.
Another judge, Melina Butuci, added: “I think a lot of people splurge on opening day specifically because of the hat contest.”
Patti Newman, a 20-year resident of Lemon Grove, has been attending opening day in the same outfit for nine years. Inspired by Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 film “My Fair Lady,” she was draped head-to-toe in black-and-white lace with an umbrella to match.
“I loved the movie. So after a number of years, I said: I want to make that,” she said.
Newman, who has known how to sew since she was 13 years old, said it took her at least a month to create — if dividing by eight hour days.
“It’s a lot of work,” she said. “I haven’t given up, though. I make most of my own clothes.”
For six-time-attendee Amy Brooker, celebrating opening day also means celebrating seven years of being a breast cancer survivor. Her hat, which drew admirers before she was even through the gates, was a spectacle of pink florals and rhinestones. A glittery model horse rose up from the top crown of the hat with a small banner strung across it like a finish line, declaring “7 YEARS.”
“Most people think only older women get it, but younger ones get it too, so I just want to bring awareness to it and celebrate,” said Brooker, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35 years old.
In total, Brooker said her hat took about 60 hours to make. However, she’s a seasoned participant of the opening day contest and has gotten the hang of making such intricate designs.
“I’m hoping this year will be my year,” she said.
Not all well-dressed spectators are veterans of the races. It was Danielle Rainey’s first year attending, and instead of a full-brimmed hat, she opted for a ritzy, vintage-inspired fascinator, putting her skills as a corporate floral designer to good use. Rainey was the organizer of a group of 54 attendees from the San Diego Fun 40’s group.
“I was just feeling the classic, black and white. One idea morphed into another, and here I am,” Rainey said. Her fascinator is made entirely from scratch, creatively utilizing floral embellishments for added flair. Some festive pieces that poke out around the brim were originally meant, she said, for a Christmas tree.
“It’s so fun, coming here and seeing all the ladies all dressed up,” Newman said. “I just love opening day.”
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