Fall Racing at Del Mar Returns After 47-Year Break

With the summer meeting an annual staple of premier racing in the United States, Del Mar’s newly established fall meeting will be smaller scale replacing the void in the southern California racing calendar created by the shuttering of Hollywood Park.  While purses will be less generous than horsemen are accustomed to during Del Mar’s summer meet, track executives still expect full and competitive fields.  The opening day card of the Bing Crosby Season consists of nine races with an average field size of 8.67 horses highlighted by the $75,000 Kathryn Crosby Stakes.

14 stakes races highlight short meet 

Over the course of the boutique meet, there will be a total of 14 stakes races worth a total of $2.25 million – nine of them graded stakes races.  The $300,000 Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, run at a mile and a quarter on grass for three year-old colts, will be run November 29 with the grade 1 $300,000 Matriarch taking place closing day. 

End of Polytrack era at Del Mar 

The meeting will be the proverbial last hurrah for Del Mar’s Polytrack which will be replaced prior to the 2015 summer meet.  Installed in 2007, the Polytrack at Del Mar never seemed to gain popularity among bettors or horsemen.  Del Mar will join Santa Anita and Keeneland as a track converted back to natural dirt.