Noted musician and songwriter Burt Bacharach, also a horse owner and racing fan for half a century, has announced that he will host a fundraiser for the victims of the tragic wildfire that struck San Luis Rey Downs in Bonsall, California, Dec. 7, claiming the lives of 46 horses and injuring several of their caretakers.
The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and will take place at the iconic Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, less than a mile from Del Mar, and will include a small auction of special items, most notably a chance to sing “Close to You” on stage with Bacharach that evening and a table for four on opening day of the 2018 meeting at Del Mar. Bacharach will be joined on stage during the evening for a special performance with his good friend Elvis Costello.
“Horses and horse racing have given me nothing but pleasure for the last half-century,” Bacharach said. “The horrible circumstances around the San Luis Rey Downs fire cry out for aid in so many ways. This is my way of giving back to the horse community.”
Serving as MC for the evening will be Bo Derek, the actress and horse advocate, who will be joined by Academy Award winning actress and animal activist Anjelica Huston.
There will be approximately 400 tickets sold for the show at $250 a piece for general admission. The Belly Up's reserved loft seating will be sold for $450, while seats in the first three rows will be $1000 each, which will include an after-show reception with Bacharach.
Additionally, special posters commemorating the evening will be available for sale, including several signed by the artists. A one-day pre-sale of tickets will be available to horsemen and racing fans, beginning at 4 p.m. today. (click here for pre-sale) Following, tickets to the show will be open to Belly Up regulars and all comers. Tickets for the event are tax deductible.
All monies raised from the evening will be equally shared by California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation (CTHFcares.org) and the California Retirement Management Account (carma4horses.org). Cliff Goodrich, the executive director of the CTHF, said that funds generated during the evening will be used for people such as the trainers, grooms and stable help who worked at San Luis Rey and were displaced by the fire. Madeline Auerbach, the founding chairman of CARMA and currently a member of the California Horse Racing Board, has indicated that funds raised from the evening will be used specifically for the ongoing aid and care of the horses impacted by the fire that day.
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