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AND THEY’RE OFF: The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club heralded the start of the 2007 season with the largest opening-day crowd in its 68-year history. The racetrack counted 42,842 fans who turned out to play the ponies——and just to play. Better-known bettors included San Diego Chargers Luis Castillo and Shaun Phillips; former Chargers Drew Brees and Junior Seau; Oakland Raider Kirk Morrison; Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals; Denver Bronco John Lynch; actor/comedian Tim Conway; composer Burt Bacharach; diet queen Jenny Craig; basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian; and actor Mario Lopez, accompanied by girlfriend Karina Smirnoff of Dancing with the Stars.

ALL THAT JAZZ: San Diego Repertory Theatre hosted its 14th annual fund-raiser, the 1920s- and ’30s-themed “Party with a Point of View: Ain’t Misbehavin’,” at a private estate in La Jolla. Maggie Watkins was event chair; honorary chair Sally Thornton attended with husband, John. Other guests of the “Cotton Club” included Lynelle and Bill Lynch, Elaine Lipinsky, Judy and Peter Corrente, Dawn DuCharme and Charles Grebing, Mehran Saberi, Fred Applegate, Elizabeth and Yale Strom, Jeff Alexander, Joyce Gattas, Elisa and Rick Jaime, and Brenda and Lou Alpinieri.

STEP RIGHT UP: The Patrons of the Prado, a nonprofit that supports the 11 Balboa Park museums on the Prado, hosted its annual summer black-tie event. “Circus in the Park” ringleaders——Patrons president Betty Kornreich and gala chair Barbara Brown——led the fund-raising effort to the tune of $250,000. The evening also recognized the 2007 Grand Dames: June Barrymore Ash, Rachel Grosvenor, Kathryn Hattox, Jeanne Jones, Lael Kovtun, Betty Peabody, Judy White and Sheryl White.

HIP TO BE THERE: Among the 1,000 attendees of the sold-out 2007 Santaluz Summer Music Festival featuring ’80s hit-makers Huey Lewis & The News: Rolf Benirschke, Chargers defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell and wife, Kathleen, Robere Habchi, Fred Maas, Dana and David Kovach, Terri and Joe Davis, Neal Pedersen, Brian Peterson, Willie Dent, Roy Irwin, Vicki and Bob Hamilton, Barbara and Dave Parent, Karyn Meletis, Tom Kerley, Kim Benson, Howard Ziment, Doug Berg, Kip Boatcher and Kelly Collins.

LIGHTS ON: Chargers Pro Bowler Shawne Merriman kicked off his Lights On Comedy Jam Weekend with a VIP reception at Stingaree. (The two-day fund-raiser included the signature comedy jam, a kids’ football clinic and restoration of the Children’s Learning Center at the Salvation Army Door of Hope.) Beneficiaries included Merriman’s Lights On Foundation, the Salvation Army and the Alpha Project for the Homeless. Guests included Alex Thomas (Comedy Central’s Comedic Blend and The Talent Agency), DMC (a.k.a. Darryl McDaniels of pioneering hip-hop group Run-DMC) and Antoine Blackman (BET’s Comic View and Access Granted).

UNVEILED: Pechanga Resort & Casino’s Silk Nightclub was celebrity central for the unveiling of six original Pechanga Collection paintings by Todd White, official artist for the 2007 Grammy Awards. CNN’s Larry King emceed the event, which drew a host of Hollywood types, including comedian Drew Carey, Wayne Newton, actors Christian Slater, Michael Vartan (Alias), Doug Savant (Desperate Housewives), Shane Vendrell (The Shield), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Grey’s Anatomy) and Kathy Najimi (Numb3rs) and TV-show hosts Ricki Lake (America’s Funniest Home Videos) and Brooke Burke (E!’s Wild On . . .).

CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE: YMCA Youth & Family Services honored Daniel J. Tucker and Susie Walton at its “To Honor Our Champions” fund-raising gala at Paradise Point Resort & Spa. Jeff Detrow of Star 94.1’s Jeff & Jer Showgram emceed the event, which recognizes community leaders for their commitment to youth causes. Anthony Bollotta was event committee chair. Also on the committee: Brian Berson, Tracey Brenneman, Burt Brigida, Birdie Howe, Kim Morgan, Annie Revel, Stephen Shushan and Susie Walton.

SCROLL THROUGH TIME: Major underwriters and patrons of the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum gathered for a festive, Mediterranean-themed opening gala hosted at the museum. Ted Waitt, representing gala sponsor the Waitt Family Foundation, addressed the crowd of 500-plus, which included San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders; Israel Consul General Ehud Danoch; Israel Antiquities Authority director general Shuka Dorfman; Risa Levitt Kohn, director of the Jewish Studies program at San Diego State University and Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition curator; Joan and Irwin Jacobs; Eleanor Navarra and James Waring.

DOUBLE DUTY: Funnyman Tim Conway doubled as bartender and host of the Don MacBeth 10th annual Jockey Memorial Dinner at Jeffrey Strauss’s Pamplemousse Grille. Some 145 patrons, including Conway’s guest, Bob Newhart, gathered to raise funds for injured and disabled riders. Chris McCarron coordinated the sold-out event, at which jockeys served as waiters. Participating riders included Danny Sorenson, John Court, Mike Smith, Carlos Arias, Michael Baze, Joe Talamo, Alex Solis, David Flores, Corey Nikitari, Brice Blanc, Amir Cedeno, Chris Landeros, Aaron Gryder, Alonso Oinones, Horacio de Paz and retired jockeys Eddie Delahoussaye and Gary Stevens.

TOUCHING DOWN: The San Diego Air & Space Museum partnered with Ben Bridge, Omega Watches and NASA to bring astronauts Eugene Cernan, Scott Carpenter and Thomas Stafford to the Balboa Park museum for its “Meet the Space Cowboys” forum. Ed Buckabee, director emeritus of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and founder of U.S. Space Camp, moderated. The three astronauts represent NASA’s premier manned spaceflight programs of the 20th century.

WOMEN IN MOTION: San Diego Magazine publisher Maureen Sullivan presented former San Diego COO Ronne Froman with the Woman of the Year award at the magazine’s Women Who Move the City cocktail reception in the San Diego Museum of Art’s sculpture court. Proceeds from the event, which recognizes female leaders in the community, benefited the San Diego Women’s Foundation and the SDMA. Patrons on the move included Dianne York-Goldman, Vicky Eddie, Sara Wilensky, Anthony Napoli, Linden Blue, Sally Thornton, JACK-FM personality Monique Marvez, NBC 7/39’s Kimberly King, Carolyn and Larry Addelson, Andrew Cortez and Jo Dee Jacob.

ACTING OUT: Hotel Solamar and Jsix restaurant hosted “Think Global, Act Local,” a party promoting an earth-friendly lifestyle and benefiting the Trust for Public Land, Surfrider Foundation, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and Think Blue. Held at the hotel’s rooftop bar, the event featured organic food and drinks and showcased environmentally friendly companies at various booths. Guests included Chargers players Stephen Gregory, Steve Cooper and Sean Phillips, as well as representatives from the benefiting nonprofits. Elliott Lawrence emceed.