Del Mar 2023 schedule includes 39 stakes starting July 21

With the 33rd edition of its premier event, the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Pacific Classic leading a parade of 39 offerings in 31 days, Del Mar is set to present a record-tying stakes schedule worth $8,275,000 for the 84th season of Thoroughbred sport at its iconic seaside oval beginning Friday, July 21.

The Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles will top a five-graded-stakes afternoon Saturday, Sept. 2, that includes the Del Mar Handicap (G2) and the Del Mar Mile (G2).

All told, Del Mar has slated six Grade 1 races over the course of an eight-week summer stand, as well as six Breeders’ Cup “win and you’re in” tests that each guarantee a spot in the starting gate for their major counterparts during the two-day, $28 million end-of-season championship that will be held this year at Santa Anita.

The shore track again will feature eight black-type events strictly for California-breds carrying total purses of $1,150,000. Further, it has 19 stakes on its Jimmy Durante turf course along with five overnight stakes, each with a value of $100,000.

“We’ve got a stakes schedule that mirrors our record program of last year,” said David Jerkens, Del Mar vice president and racing secretary. “We made a couple of very minor tweaks, but otherwise it’s the same offerings at the same value that our horsemen and women found especially pleasing last year.”

As it has for decades, the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds on the grass will kick off the proceedings on opening day. And closing day – Sunday, Sept. 10 – once more will be headlined by the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at seven furlongs, the championship event for 2-year-olds at the session.

The track’s six Grade 1 affairs are led by the Pacific Classic, of course, but also include the Bing Crosby Stakes for older horses at six furlongs Saturday, July 29; the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles Saturday, Aug. 5; the Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at nine furlongs on the turf Saturday, Aug. 19; the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Saturday, Sept. 9, and the Del Mar Futurity.

Del Mar’s six win-and-you're-in races are the Bing Crosby (providing guaranteed entrance to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint); the Clement L. Hirsch (Distaff); $250,000, Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs Saturday, Aug. 26 (Dirt Mile); Pacific Classic (Classic); Del Mar Handicap at 11 furlongs on turf (Turf); $150,000, Green Flash Handicap (G3) at five furlongs on turf Saturday, Sept. 2 (Turf Sprint).

The stakes schedule features the five-stakes day on Sept. 2, as noted, but also has a triple header, including the Debutante (G1) and the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) on Saturday, Sept. 9 and nine other days when there will be stakes doubleheaders.

The historic track will open its season with a three-day weekend (July 21, 22, 23), then have five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, Sept. 4), then finish with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (Sept. 8, 9 10).