Del Mar Summer Meet Opens, Leading Up to $1 Million Pacific Classic

And they’re – almost – off!

The Del Mar summer season opens Saturday, with 39 stakes set through Sept. 8. topped by the summer’s premier event – the 34th running of the $1 million FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic on Aug. 31.

But first off, as it has for decades, the $100,000 Caesars Sportsbook Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds on the grass will kick off the proceedings on Opening Day, which is sold out. But tickets are available for Sunday, with general admission starting at $8.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is projecting a total purse distribution of more than $26.6 million over the course of the eight-week season, the club’s 85th.

The Grade I “Classic” will be the highlight of a rich afternoon of sport that will feature five graded stakes, including two Grade II races, the $300,000 Del Mar Handicap and the $300,000 Del Mar Mile, both on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

All told there will be $7.87 million in stakes purses available, notable among them six Grade I presentations.

Along with the Pacific Classic, other top races are:

• July 27 – $400,000 Bing Crosby Stakes
• Aug. 3 – $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes
• Aug. 17 – $300,000 Del Mar Oaks
• Sept. 7 – $300,000 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante
• Sept. 8 – $300,000 Del Mar Futurity

Further, Del Mar once again will offer eight black-type events strictly for California-breds carrying overall purses of $1 million. Closing Day will be highlighted by the Grade I Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on the main track, the championship test for 2-year-olds.

Del Mar will offer the most lucrative purses in California and the west, with an average daily distribution to horsemen and women of $860,000. Maiden Special Weight races will be run for $75,000.

“We’re extremely pleased with the racing program we’re offering this summer,” said Del Mar vice president and racing secretary David Jerkens. “Our horsemen and horsewomen have been extremely supportive of our race meets and we look forward to working with them on another successful season.”

This year, the summer season precedes the return of the Breeders’ Cup to Del Mar, on Nov. 1-2. The event, with more than $33 million in purses and awards, features 14 championship races.

“Del Mar truly shines as the pinnacle of California racing,“ said Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. “The summer season is also paramount to our racing ecosystem, with its handle driving significant purse generation and other benefits to both the Northern and Southern zones that our members enjoy throughout the year.”

The full array of Del Mar bets is as follows: $2 Win, Place and Show (all races); $1 Exacta (all); $2 Quinella (all); $2 Rolling Doubles (all except last); $1 Rolling Pick 3 (all except last two); $1 Superfecta (10-cent minimum – all); $1 Place Pick All (starts w/Race 1 or 2); 50-cent Super High Five (last); 20-cent Pick Six (last six); 50-cent Players’ Pick 5 (first five and last five); 50-cent Pick 4 (Races 2 thru 5 and last four), and $2 Win-Place-Show Parlay (all races but last).

Del Mar will open its season with a two-day weekend (July 20, 21), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), followed by a five-day week (including Labor Day, Sept. 2), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (Sept. 7, 8, 9).

First post most days will be 2 p.m. In addition to general admission, reserved and box seats start at $10.