With the announcement that Del Mar plans to switch from Polytrack back to a dirt main track in 2015, the grand experiment with synthetic racing surfaces in Southern California is likely coming to an end.
Del Mar plans to replace its Polytrack surface with dirt, track president and chief executive officer Joe Harper said Feb. 18.
Increasing purses and reducing costs were primary topics at the Thoroughbred Owners of California open forum held at Santa Anita Feb. 8.
David Jerkens, currently the racing secretary at Golden Gate Fields, will relocate to Southern California in early June and assume the role of racing secretary at Del Mar, it was announced Jan. 30.
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will hold a 15-day fall meeting this November in addition to its regular summer stand, it announced in a statement released Jan. 15.
A 20-foot long monument within the garden paddock at Betfair Hollywood Park that marks the burial place of the great Native Diver will be moved, along with his remains, to Del Mar in the next few weeks.
The California Horse Racing Board is to hold its final meeting of 2013 on Dec. 12 at Santa Anita Park with several items on the agenda related to racing in the state next year after the closure of Betfair Hollywood Park.
As they have for the past several months, post-Hollywood Park racing plans will dominate the agenda for the California Horse Racing Board when it meets Sept. 19 in Pomona beginning at 9:30 a.m. PDT.
Los Alamitos Race Course will press ahead with plans to conduct Thoroughbred racing in the absence of Betfair Hollywood Park next year, representatives of the Orange County track announced Sept. 12.
Del Mar will begin an expansion of its turf course Sept. 13 to accommodate more horses in an effort to host a future Breeders' Cup World Championships event.
Following on the heels of a robust 2012 season, Del Mar did even better in 2013 with all key business categories finishing on the upswing as the track's 74th summer session came to a close Sept. 4.
California-bred Tamarando rallied from well off the pace to capture the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) for 2-year-olds on the Polytrack at Del Mar Sept. 4.
Wagering on United States races was strong in August, with a 4.69% increase from the same month in 2012, according to the Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators released by Equibase Sept. 4.
Egg Drop held on to her first stakes victory when she nipped Appealing by a head in the $150,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr. IIT) on the turf Sept. 2 at Del Mar, then survived a long stewards' inquiry into the final stages.
Evan Hammonds recaps the Spinaway Stakes, Torrey Pines Stakes, and Del Mar Debutante. watch video
Vacation time may be over for Beholder but last year's champion 2-year-old filly simply toyed with her four rivals in the $100,000 Torrey Pine Stakes Sept. 1 at Del Mar.
Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) winner Alberts Hope heads a field of 11 juveniles in the $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) on Sept. 4, closing day of the 2013 summer stand at the Southern California track.
Robert S. Strauss, who has headed the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club's board of directors as its chairman for the past 12 years, announced Aug.30 that he is stepping down, effective immediately.
Ten fillies and mares have been entered in what appears to be a wide-open edition of the Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar Sept. 2.
One year after losing the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) by a nose, champion filly Beholder returns to Del Mar in the Torrey Pines Stakes Sept. 1.
With two dozen 3-year-olds overflowing the entry box, the $250,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) was split into two divisions to be contested on the turf Sept. 1.
The head speed figure maker for TimeformUS believes Game On Dude completed the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) about 1 1/2 seconds faster than what he is being given credit for on the official chart.
Overcoming concerns about the Del Mar Polytrack, Game On Dude demolished the field by a record 8 1/2 lengths in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) in the most dominant performance of his career Aug. 25.
Fed Biz, flying through the homestretch, caught tiring favorite Goldencents late to win the Pat O'Brien Stakes (gr. II) in track-record time at Del Mar Aug. 25, giving trainer Bob Baffert his fifth win in a row in the race.
The 10th and final race at Del Mar Aug. 24 was declared a "no contest" by its stewards when a horse broke through the gate and triggered a chain-reaction effect by many of the other runners in the 12-horse field.
Favored Vagabond Shoes, circling the field under Victor Espinoza, reached the lead in deep stretch to edge Lucayan by a neck in the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap (gr. IIT) Aug. 24 on the turf.
Martin Garcia was slated to ride Liaison in the Aug. 25 TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar, but inherited a bigger assignment when jockey Joel Rosario fractured his foot in an Aug. 23 racing accident at Saratoga.
A six-time grade I winner whose problems with the Polytrack at Del Mar have been well-chronicled, Game On Dude is on the verge of a breakthrough in the TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) Aug. 25, trainer Bob Baffert believes.
Horse Racing Radio Network's "Road to the Breeders' Cup" series resumes this weekend with live coast-to-coast coverage from Saratoga Race Course and Del Mar.
Goldencents made a solid return to sprinting one month ago when second by a head in the Bing Crosby Stakes, and the Santa Anita Derby winner is back on the Del Mar main track Aug. 25 facing 12 in the Pat O'Brien Stakes.
A narrow field has been drawn for the $200,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap (gr. IIT), to be contested Aug. 25. Obviously seeks a second consecutive win in the Mile, after setting a course record in the 2012 edition.
Horses competing in the upcoming Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park will form a test sample of the potential effects of running without anti-bleeding medications, but it will be up to their owners whether to participate.
Saratoga Race Course in New York and Del Mar in California have been re-accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Safety and Integrity Alliance.
Game On Dude will break from post 11 at Del Mar Aug. 25 in a field of 13 for the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I), the richest race in the west for older horses.
Trainer believes Game On Dude is sitting on a big effort in the Pacific Classic.
Game On Dude, likely favorite for the TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I), put in a sharp drill of five furlongs in :59 3/5 Aug. 19 at Del Mar in his final major move leading up to the $1 million, 1 1/4-mile race Aug. 25.
Reneesgotzip gave trainer Peter Miller every reason to be confident heading into the Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III) Aug. 18 at Del Mar, and his speedy 4-year-old filly showed why with a 4 1/4-length romp in record time.
TimeformUS Plays for the race cards at Del Mar and Saratoga on Sunday. read blog
The appearance of suspended trainer Carla Gaines in the public area at Del Mar the weekend of Aug. 10 has prompted the California Horse Racing Board to review its current suspension policy.
Grade II winner Reneesgotzip, 2-for-2 on the Del Mar Polytrack, will be a big favorite in the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III), a 6 1/2-furlong dash to be run Aug. 18.
Wishing Gate slammed the door on eight rivals last month on opening weekend over the Del Mar turf, but it doesn't figure to be as easy when she faces a full field in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) Aug. 17.
Saratoga, Del Mar, Monmouth Park, Woodbine, Ellis Park, Gulfstream, Wise Dan and more. view slideshow
With the Del Mar race meet surpassing its mid-point, the seaside California oval continues to experience an increase in betting and decline in attendance.
A freshened Tiz Flirtatious made easy work of her four opponents in the $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. IIT) Aug. 11, shaking clear in upper stretch to win without much of a challenge on the Del Mar turf.
Dullahan went five furlongs at Churchill Downs in :59 flat the morning of Aug. 11, best of 12 workouts at the distance in preparation for his title defense in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) Aug. 25.
TimeformUS Plays for Saratoga and Del Mar graded stakes races. read blog
Jockey Garrett Gomez boldly announced his return to action with a come-from-behind victory aboard 8-1 shot Dice Flavor in a dramatic finish to the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT) on the grass Aug. 10 at Del Mar.
Jockey Garrett Gomez says he's ready to go after finally getting clearance from stewards at Del Mar to ride workouts on the morning of Aug. 9 and in race competition the following day.
Tiz Flirtatious, who gave multiple grade I winner Marketing Mix quite a tussle in the Gamely Stakes (gr. IT) last time out, is the one to beat in the $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. IIT) Aug. 11 on the Del Mar turf.
FOX Sports and The Jockey Club announced Aug. 8 a multi-year agreement to air prominent graded stakes races starting in 2014 from many of horse racing's best known tracks on FOX Sports 1.
