California's Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is set to deliver purses above $25 million for its 31-day summer meet, with the daily average purse payout of more than $800,000 the highest in the history of California racing. Overnight purses and the value of 21 of the seaside oval's stakes will be raised by a blended rate of 15%.
Among the most prominent races to see increases are the GI Bing Crosby S. and the GI Clement L. Hirsch S., both of which will climb from $300,000 to $400,000. Gross purses for all stakes will rise from $7.45 million to $8.275 million. All five of Del Mar's overnight stakes will be increased from $80,000 to $100,000 and 16 additional stakes will get $25,000 to $100,000 bumps in value.
The increase in overnight purses impacts all levels. For example, a maiden claiming race for $20,000 will have its purse climb from $25,000 to $30,000. The top-level allowance horses see purses elevated from $76,000 to $86,000. A $32,000 claiming race now will go for $51,000 instead of $45,000.
“We've been on a roll of late and based on the feedback we're receiving from local and out-of-state stables, I'm very optimistic our positive trend will continue,” said Del Mar's executive vice president for racing, Tom Robbins. “Last year we averaged a record $18.4 million a day in handle and our field size was 8.5 per race. Those are powerful numbers, not only in the West, but all across the country. We're going to try to increase them this year and I believe we've got a good chance to do so.”
Both the track's popular 12-year-old “Ship & Win” program and maiden bonuses are also enhanced. “Ship & Win”, which annually draws hundreds of out-of-state runners, will give owners and trainers a $5,000 starter bonus and a 50% purse supplement to dirt runners, as well as a $4,000 bonus and a 40% supplement to grass starters. In addition, Del Mar has upped maiden special weight purses from $70,000 to $80,000 and the maiden bonus plan (formerly the juvenile bonus) will be expanded to provide horses of any age in maiden special weight, maiden special weight Cal-Bred, and maiden claiming $62,500 and above on dirt a 25% purse bonus for qualifying stables. This means a horse shipping in to run in a maiden special weight dirt race could compete for a purse of $140,000 when the “Ship & Win” monies (50%, or $40,000) and the maiden bonus plan (25%, or $20,000) are included. On top of that, the horse's connections would be awarded a $5,000 starter fee.
A full stakes schedule for Del Mar's 83rd summer season will be released next week, with the track's premiere event–the $1-million GI TVG Pacific Classic–scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3. The season will open with a three-day weekend Friday, July 22, and conclude Sept. 11, with racing conducted on a Thursday-Sunday schedule through the bulk of the meet.
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