Headlined by a pair of Grade 1 stakes offerings, Del Mar will present a $2.1 million stakes schedule during its 13th Bing Crosby Season starting on Friday, Nov. 6, and running through to Sunday, Nov. 29.
The two prime offerings are the $300,000 Hollywood Derby for 3-year-olds on Saturday, Nov. 28 and the $300,000 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mares on Nov. 29. The former is run at 1 1/8 miles on turf, and the latter also goes on turf at a flat mile.
Race cards will be presented on a Friday-through-Sunday format during the month, with the addition of Thursday, Nov. 26, which is Thanksgiving. That special eight-race program will start at 2 p.m. EDT and be concluded by approximately 5 p.m.
Nine of the 15 stakes on the schedule will be on the lawn, a late-season emphasis at the seaside oval.
Opening weekend includes a pair of Cal-bred events, The Chosen Vron Stakes for 3-year-olds and up on Saturday, Nov. 7, then the Betty Grable Stakes for fillies and mares on Sunday, Nov. 8. Both are at seven furlongs and each carries a $100,000 purse.
Also of note on the agenda is the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and a half on the green on Friday, Nov. 27, and the $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the grass Saturday, Nov. 28.
The Thanksgiving Day headliner is the $100,000 Red Carpet Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles on the turf.
“We’ve got one of the best turf courses in the country,” said Del Mar senior vice president for racing and racing secretary David Jerkens, “and we put a real emphasis on it for our fall meet. Our lineup is the best in America during that period.”
Harkening back to its show business founder Crosby, the meet will feature a Hollywood theme for most of its stakes, among them the Betty Grable, the Desi Arnaz, the Bob Hope, the Jimmy Durante and the Cecil B. DeMille, all of whom were part of the glamorous early days at the shore oval.
First post daily throughout the session will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday cards will normally consist of eight races, while the weekend program will present nine.
| Date | Race, conditions | Purse, Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Fri. Nov 06 | Let It Ride Stakes* 3-year-olds, N/W S/S of $60,000 at 1 M o/o since April 1 | $100,000 Added 1 Mile (T) |
| Sat. Nov 07 | The Chosen Vron Stakes 3-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred | $100,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs |
| Sun. Nov 08 | Betty Grable Stakes Fillies & Mares, 3-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred | $100,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs |
| Sat. Nov 14 | Desi Arnaz Stakes Fillies, 2-year-olds | $100,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs |
| Sun. Nov 15 | Bob Hope Stakes (G3) 2-year-olds | $100,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs |
| Sat. Nov 21 | Native Diver Stakes (G3) 3-year-olds & up | $100,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles |
| Thu. Nov 26 | Red Carpet Stakes Fillies & Mares, 3-year-olds & up | $100,000 Guaranteed 1 3/8 Miles (T) |
| Fri. Nov 27 | Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) 3-year-olds & up | $200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/2 Miles (T) |
| Sat. Nov 28 | Hollywood Derby (G1) 3-year-olds | $300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T) |
| Sat. Nov 28 | Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) 3-year-olds & up | $200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T) |
| Sat. Nov 28 | Jimmy Duranti Stakes (G3) Fillies, 2-year-olds | $100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T) |
| Sun. Nov 29 | Matriarch Stakes (G1) Fillies & mares, 3-year-olds & up | $300,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T) |
| Sun. Nov 29 | Cecil B. DeMill Stakes (G3) 2-year-olds | $100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T) |
| Sun. Nov 29 | Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Fillies & mares, 3-year-olds & up | $100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile |
| Sun. Nov 29 | Stormy Liberal Stakes 3-year-olds & up | $100,000 Guaranteed 5 Furlongs (T) |
* Indicates Overnight Stakes
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