Del Mar is planning across-the-board increases to its overnight purse schedule from its top allowance offerings down to the maiden-claiming ranks for its upcoming summer racing season, which kicks off Friday, July 18.
The meet will be conducted for 31 days over eight weeks through Sunday, Sept. 7.
All told Del Mar will present about 300 races with overnight purses projected to be $15.7 million. That represents a blended increase of 8% over 2024’s purses.
Additionally, the track will offer 38 stakes races valued at $7,825,000. Once again the highlight of that schedule will be the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic, a 1 1/4-mile test that will be run as part of a five graded-stakes card on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Notable in the overnight purse increases is the fact that the vast majority of the track’s owners and trainers will be able to run in maiden special weight dirt races, both open and Cal-Bred, for purses of $100,000.
Del Mar again will offer its maiden dirt bonus that provides a 25% increase to non-winner races at the $62,500 level and above, meaning those conditioners with fewer than 100 horses on the Southern California circuit will be competing in those straight maiden affairs for more than six-figure prizes for their horses.
“We are thrilled to announce our purse increase,” Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens said. “Santa Anita is off to a strong start with the new single-circuit structure now in place for California racing, and we are looking forward to continuing this positive momentum for our summer meet.”
Noting the good success Santa Anita has had integrating northern horses into its racing program, Del Mar plans to offer similar racing opportunities to those horses at its summer stand.
