Bet Del Mar 2022 Summer Meet with OTB

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club has unveiled an enhanced stakes schedule for their 2022 Summer Meet, the 83rd in the seaside track's rich history, that features 34 major races with more than half of them boosted above their 2021 purse numbers resulting in a record gross value of $8,275,000 for its 31-day stand.

Besides the major stakes, there also will be increases from $80,000 to $100,000 for all five of its overnight stakes.

Del Mar will open its season with a three-day weekend (Friday, July 22, 23 and 24), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 5), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 9, 10 and 11).

Major stakes purse raises will be in effect ranging from $25,000 to $100,000, notably including amplifications to a pair of Grade I offering - the six-furlong Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday, July 30 climbing from $300,000 to $400,000 and the filly and mare showcase that is the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Saturday, August 6 also rising from $300,000 to $400,000.

In 2021, the shore oval's stakes schedule carried a gross value of $7,450,000. This year's additional $825,000 in purse monies means an approximate 10% increase for black type runners, making it the most lucrative stakes schedule in the shore oval's history. All told 16 major stakes are worth more money for this go-round, along with the increases for the five overnights.

"This is Del Mar shining bright and I believe our horsemen and women are going to be delighted with it," said David Jerkens, one of the track's vice presidents and its racing secretary. "Across the board we have exceptional offerings for most any type of good horse you'd care to bring our way. We're proud to present this program and expect it will be well received."

The track's premier event is the Grade I, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic, which will be run for the 32nd time on Saturday, September 3. The mile and one quarter for 3-year-olds and up will be bolstered once again by four additional stakes surrounding it on a rich card that undoubtedly will be the highlight of the summer season.

Along with the "Classic" will be a trio of Grade II races, all carrying $300,000 purses: the Del Mar Handicap at 11 furlongs on turf; the Del Mar Mile at eight furlongs on turf, and the Caesars Sportsbook Del Mar Derby at nine furlongs on turf. The cherry on top of the afternoon will be the $125,000 Shared Belief Stakes at a mile on the main track.

Joining the three Grade I headliners already mentioned are three other Grade I presentations in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday, August 20; the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Saturday, September 10, and the $300,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Sunday, September 11.

Additionally, the track will offer a stakes tripleheader on Saturday, September 10 (Del Mar Debutante, John C. Mabee Stakes, Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf) and nine other weekend dates where it has scheduled stakes doubleheaders.

Further, Del Mar also will present its usual compliment of eight California-bred stakes, part of the Golden State Stakes Series that consists of 36 races at tracks up and down the state worth more than $4.4 million. Its stakes are the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, the $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes, the $150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes, the $125,000 CTBA Stakes, the $125,000 Graduation Stakes, the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes, the $125,000 Generous Portion Stakes and the $125,000 I'm Smokin Stakes.

Del Mar 2022 Summer Meet Stakes OTB Schedule

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2022 Del Mar Meet Purses will be Highest in History of California Racing

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is projecting its most lucrative racing season ever in 2022 with purse levels for its 31-day meet above $25-million resulting in an unprecedented average purse payout of more than $800,000 per day. Additionally, 21 of its major stakes will be increased sharply and its overnight purses raised by a blended rate of 15%.

Further still, the track's highly-successful "Ship & Win" program will provide its greatest rewards yet joining an upwards flow with other across-the-board program strengthening for its horsemen and women during the eight weeks of the seaside track's 83rd summer stand.

Sixteen major Del Mar stakes will see jumps ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 in their values, while all five of its overnight stakes will rise from $80,000 to $100,000. Notably, two of its Grade I presentations - the Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs and the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares - both will climb in value from $300,000 to $400,000.

The track's popular "Ship & Win" program - which annually draws hundreds of out-of-state runners to the shore oval - will give owners and trainers their richest offerings in its 12-year history with 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.

Further still, Del Mar's 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. Of note in this regard, the track has hiked its maiden special weight races this season from $70,000 to $80,000.

"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."

There's a potential best-case-scenario script where a horse shipping in to run in a maiden special weight dirt race could compete for a purse of not $80,000, but $140,000 when the "S &W" 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 besides.

The increase in overnight purses means there will be noteworthy augmentations for all levels. For example, at the lowest level, a maiden-claiming race for $20,000 stock will have its purse climb from $25,000 to $30,000. The top-level allowance horses see their rewards elevated from $76,000 to $86,000. And a $32,000 claiming race now will go for $51,000 instead of $45,000.

Track officials plan to release their full stakes schedule next week and it will show a marked rise in their gross purses from $7,450,000 to $8,275,000. Del Mar's premier offering, the $1,000,000, Grade I Pacific Classic, will be conducted at a mile and one quarter on Saturday, September 3.

"Del Mar is America's premier race meet," said Thoroughbred Owners of California chairman Gary Fenton. "Owners look forward to competing there and soaking in the incredible experience offered by our friends at DMTC and the county of San Diego. We are grateful for the hard work that goes into planning our magical summers at Del Mar."

The place "where the turf meets the surf" will open its season with a three-day weekend (Friday, July 22, 23 and 24), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 5), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 9, 10, 11).