From DMTC Publicity
DEL MAR, Calif. (Mar. 9, 2023) – Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will hold eight stakes restricted to Golden State Series eligibles worth a total of $1.15 million at this year’s 84th season of racing.
“We’ve got a stakes schedule that mirrors our record program of last year,” noted Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens. “We made a couple of very minor tweaks, but otherwise it’s the same offerings at the same value that our horsemen and women found especially pleasing last year.”
As it has for decades, the $100,000 Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds on the grass will kick off the proceedings on opening day. And closing day – Sunday, September 10 – once more will be headlined by the Grade I, $300,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs, the championship event for 2-year-olds at the session.
The track’s six Grade I affairs are led by the FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic, of course, but also include the $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes for older horses at six furlongs on Saturday, July 29; the $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile and one-sixteenth on Saturday, August 5; the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at nine furlongs on the turf on Saturday, August 19; the $300,000 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Saturday, September 9, and the Del Mar Futurity.
Del Mar’s six “Win & You’re In” races are the Bing Crosby (providing guaranteed entrance to the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Sprint); the Clement L. Hirsch ($2-million Breeders’ Cup Distaff); $250,000, Grade II Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Saturday, August 26 ($1-million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile); FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic ($6-million Breeders’ Cup Classic); Del Mar Handicap at 11 furlongs on turf ($4-million Breeders’ Cup Turf); $150,000, Grade III Green Flash Handicap at five furlongs on turf on Saturday, September 2 ($1-million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint).
The stakes schedule features the five stakes day on September 2, as noted, but also has a triple header (including the Grade I FanDuel Sports Debutante and the $250,000, Grade II John C. Mabee Stakes) on Saturday, September 9 and nine other days when there will be stakes doubleheaders.
The historic track will open its season with a three-day weekend (July 21, 22, 23), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 4), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 8, 9 10).
The Cal-bred Stakes:
Thursday, July 27: $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs.
Friday, Aug. 4: $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs.
Saturday, Aug. 5: $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes, 3 & up, 1 1/16 miles (turf).
Sunday, Aug. 6: $125,000 CTBA Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 5 1/2 furlongs.
Friday, Aug. 11: $125,000 Graduation Stakes, 2-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs.
Sunday, Aug. 20: $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes, fillies & mares, 3& up, 1 mile (turf).
Monday, Sept. 4: $125,000 Generous Portion Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 6 furlongs.
Friday, Sept. 8: $125,000 I’m Smokin Stakes, 2-year-olds, 6 furlongs.