Joe Harper, the leader of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for nearly five decades, has been named the 22nd winner of the prized Laffit Pincay Jr. Award.
He'll be honored at Del Mar on Saturday, August 22, as part of the joyful commotion that will surround the 36th running of the track's premier event, the $1-million, Grade I Pacific Classic.
The Pincay, Jr. Award, named for and presented by the Hall of Fame rider, goes to those who have served the sport of racing "with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction."
Harper, 83, recently announced that he will be stepping down from his full-time role as Del Mar's Chief Executive Officer and will assume the title CEO Emeritus at the end of this year. He'll continue to be part of the DMTC Board of Directors.
Since first joining Del Mar in 1977, the California native and grandson of the legendary Hollywood producer and director Cecil B. DeMille, has proven to be an extraordinarily positive force for the track, for California racing and racing in general.
He led Del Mar through an $80-million total rebuild, keyed the inception of the track's $1-million Pacific Classic and helped smooth the way for the Breeders' Cup to set up shop at the seaside oval on four separate occasions while generally serving as the face of racing at one of the nation's premier racing venues.
Haper's career has been marked by a deep commitment to Thoroughbred racing and its related charitable and equine health causes. He is a member of The Jockey Club; past president and member of the Board of Directors of the Federation of California Racing Association; past president and director of the Thoroughbred Racing Association; former Chairman of the Advisory Board Center for Equine Health for the University of California, Davis; Former member of the Advisory Board of University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program; former Director of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation; former Chairman of the Winner's Foundation, and a trustee of the Cecil B. DeMille Foundation.
Harper has been married to his bride Barbara for 62 years and they have four daughters and nine grandchildren.
Pincay rode for 39 seasons, including 27 summers at Del Mar, earning five Eclipse Awards as the nation's foremost rider. He is still Del Mar's top rider for victories with 1,013. He led the country in earnings on seven different occasions while compiling his exceptional victory mark. He retired in 2003 as racing's winningest rider with 9,530 firsts. Now 79 years old, he lives in Arcadia near Santa Anita.
Previous Pincay Jr. Award winners
2025 -- Mike Pegram 2024 -- Richard Mandella 2023 -- Trevor Denman
2022 -- Ron McAnally 2021 -- Dr. Gregory Ferraro 2019 -- Julie Krone
2018 -- Martine Bellocq 2017 -- Mike Smith 2016 -- Chris McCarron
2015 -- Victor Espinoza 2014 -- Art Sherman 2013 -- Eddie Delahoussaye
2012 -- John Harris 2011 -- Jerry/Ann Moss 2010 -- Oak Tree Racing Assn.
2009 -- Merlin Volzke 2008 -- Pete Pedersen 2007 -- Elwood (Bud) Johnston
2006 -- Mel/Warren Stute 2005 -- Noble Threewitt 2004 -- Bob Benoit
